Classical Music
Students have opportunities to play in concert bands, string orchestra, and chamber ensembles. Each group maintains an active performance schedule including performances on campus, off campus in the community, and at festivals.
Repertoire for all ensembles varies widely and includes staples of the classical music idiom as well as works by diverse modern composers. Daily instruction addresses fundamentals, helping to grow individual musicians, while also encouraging students to become productive contributing members of the ensembles to which they belong.
Whether or not students pursue music after high school, their experience playing in instrumental music ensembles at MSA enriches their high school years and provides a first-rate musical experience.
Concert Band is an intermediate level band course for students in grades nine through twelve, placed by audition. Wind players and percussionists learn fundamentals on their instruments and play medium to medium-advanced level repertoire.
Wind Ensemble is an advanced level band course for students in grades nine through twelve, placed by audition. Wind players and percussionists refine fundamentals on their instruments and play medium-advanced to advanced level repertoire.
String Orchestra is a course for violin, viola, cello, and bass players in grades nine through twelve. Musicians of all levels learn fundamentals on their instruments and play repertoire ranging from medium to advanced difficulty.
Awards + Accolades
2023-2024
SSU Band & Orchestra Invitational
- Wind Ensemble, Excellent
CA Music Educators Association Festival-North Bay Regional
- Concert Band and Wind Ensemble, Excellent
2022-2023
CA Music Educators Association Festival-North Bay Regional
- Wind Ensemble, Unanimous Superior
2019-2020
- Best Music School in Marin, Marin Independent Journal's Reader's Choice Awards
- College of Marin Classical Music program, Wind Ensemble, featured guest
- Concerto Competition with the Young People's Symphony Orchestra-1st Place
- Marin Symphony Concerto Competition and the Junior Bach Festival at Berkeley University Morrison Halland - 1st Place
2018-2019
- Best Music School in Marin, Marin Independent Journal's Reader's Choice Awards.
- CA Music Educators Bay Section Festival, String Orchestra, highest ratings
Matt Verplaetse
