DPS Music and Art
Welcome to the DPS Visual Art and Music Department!
Here you will find resources and information related to our visual art and music programs for Grades PK-12.
Click the link below for the 2024-2025 Visual and Performing Arts Event Calendar
DHS Orchestra and Chorus Concerts
The DHS Orchestra and Chorus Concerts will be held the last week of October in the DHS auditorium:
DHS Orchestra and 8th grade strings - Monday, October 28, 7:00pm Livestream link: https://youtube.com/live/4iL3BWRYtBo?feature=share
DHS Chorus - Wednesday, October 30th, 7:00pm Livestream link: https://youtube.com/live/hfFjexT-86Q?feature=share
The DHS Orchestras and Choirs are selling award-winning Carousel Cakes and Pies to raise funds for their performance activities this year. All orders must be placed by Monday, November 4th. Pick-up will be before Thanksgiving at the DHS Stadium Pavilion (date TBA). Follow this link to order!
DHS Ensembles Autumn Showcase
The DHS Ensembles Fall Preview Concert will be held on Thursday, Sept 26th at 7:00pm in the DHS auditorium. This is your chance to hear selections from each of the DHS Band, Chorus, and Orchestra all in the same concert! We hope to see you there!
The concert will be livestreamed and recorded. It can be viewed using this link: https://youtube.com/live/mHKmMvSeWpg?feature=share
Beginning Band and Strings Registration
Beginner Band Registration
It's not too late to sign up for Beginner Band! If your child is in 4th or 5th Grade and would like to learn a Band instrument for the first time, please click on these links for more information.
Click Here: Online Registration Form
Click Here: View Virtual Presentation
Click Here: Rental Information
The online Registration Form is due Friday, September 6th.
*Please note: If you signed up in the spring for Beginner Band, you do not need to fill this out. The Advanced Band and Orchestra Registration Forms will be sent home later this week for those students who are continuing their instrument from last year.
Questions?
Please contact Krista DiPietro, Holmes & Hindley Band Director
kdipietro@darienps.org
or
Colin Walters, Tokeneke, Royle, & Ox Ridge Band Director
cwalters@darienps.org
Beginning Strings Registration
If your current 3rd graders would like to start playing the violin, viola or cello for the first time, please click on the links below for more information.
Click Here: View the Virtual Presentation
Click Here:View the String Information Packet
Click Here: Online Registration Form
*Please note: If you signed up in the spring for Beginning Strings, you do not need to fill this out. The Advanced Band and Orchestra Registration Forms will be sent home later this week for those students who are continuing their instrument from last year.
Questions?
Please contact Krista DiPietro, Holmes Orchestra Director
or
Dawn Hanley, Hindley, Ox Ridge, & Tokeneke Orchestra Director
or
Jane Minnis, Royle Orchestra Director
Spring 2024 Concert Schedule
Wednesday, May 8th - DHS Chorus Video, 7:00 pm, DHS Auditorium
Thursday, May 9th - MMS Chorus, 6th, 7th and Viva Voce Video, 6:30pm, DHS Auditorium
Thursday, May 9th - MMS Chorus, 8th and Camerata Video, 8:00pm, DHS Auditorium
Monday, May 13th - Hindley Band and Orchestra 7:00pm, Hindley chorus 7:45pm, Hindley Common Room, Video
Wednesday, May 15th - Holmes Band and Orchestra 7:00pm, Holmes chorus 7:45pm, Holmes Common Room, Video
Thursday, May 16th - DHS Band Video, 7:00 pm, DHS Auditorium
Monday, May 20th - MMS Orchestra Video, 7:00 pm, DHS Auditorium
Tuesday, May 21st - Tokeneke Band and Orchestra 7:00pm, Tokeneke chorus 7:45pm, Tokeneke Common Room, Video
Wednesday, May 22nd - Ox Ridge Band, Orchestra, and Chorus concert, 7:00pm, Ox Ridge Gym, Video
Thursday, May 23rd - MMS Band Concert Video, 7:00 pm, DHS Auditorium
Wednesday, May 29th - DHS Small Ensemble Concert Video, 7:30 pm, DHS Auditorium
Thursday, May 30th - Royle Band, Orchestra, and Chorus concert video, 7:00pm, Royle Common Room
Wednesday, June 5th - MMS Honor Band, Camerata, Honors Orchestra, 8th grade orchestra Adjudication Festival, MMS auditorium, 8am-10:30am, No livestream - video will be posted. Audience not permitted.
Friday, June 7th - All-Town Elementary Band, Chorus, Orchestra Adjudication Festival, 8:30-10:30am, Livestream link: https://www.youtube.com/live/ds59XFfxQdQ?si=vngZuFO2Z0IUkcgX Audience not permitted.
DHS Orchestra Spring Concert
The DHS orchestra concert will be held on Thursday, May 2nd at 7:00pm in the DHS auditorium. Please join us!
DHS Orchestra Leap Day concert
The DHS orchestra will hold a special Leap Day Concert on Thursday, February 29th in the DHS cafeteria. The concert will feature small ensembles from the DHS orchestras performing Irish and Celtic-inspired music. The concert is free and open to the public!
DHS Holiday Spectacular
The DHS Holiday Spectacular Concert will be held on Tuesday, Dec 19th at 7:00pm.
The performance video is available here: https://youtu.be/dNVa2oLVBko?si=xSgWLkZnZA4fRq5g
Tenor and Bass Showcase
The Tenor and Bass Showcase concert was a huge success! Thank you to all who attended! Here is a link to the performance video.
Join Darien Music for Youth
Darien Music for Youth is a 501c3 that has been providing music enrichment in all 7 schools for more than 50 years. We need your support! Click here to see what MFY is supporting this year!
Click here to make your tax deductible donation today!
The Music Department in Darien
The Music Department in the Darien Public Schools is a comprehensive standards-based program of sequential musical study that delivers quality music education services to all of the students in grades K- 8 (3,251 students) and to approximately 325 students at Darien High School who participate in one of the performing ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Chorus, Jazz Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble), Music Theory, AP Music Theory or Music Technology I or II. Adaptive Music instruction is also an important part of the curriculum for our students in the ELP programs at Ox Ridge, Royle and Tokeneke schools, the TLC at Ox Ridge School and at DHS and MMS. A total of 1,196 students in the Darien Public Schools participate in the Instrumental Music program (Band and Strings in grades 3-12) and we have 905 students performing in our Choral ensembles in grades 4-12 for the 2019-2020 school year. A total of 2,101 students or 55% of all K-12 students in the Darien Public Schools participate in a choral ensemble, an instrumental ensemble or both.
Programs such as the Darien Young Composers Concert program, district-wide common assessments, standards-based curriculum, elementary band, orchestra and chorus honors ensembles, our Grade 5-6 Jazz Lab, Middle School ROCKestra for string students, MMS Jazz Ensemble, Camerata Singers and 6th grade Viva Voce chorus, the district-wide annual curricular focus theme, enrichment programs of live music in the schools sponsored by the Darien Music for Youth organization, multiple performance opportunities for students in the district, in the state of Connecticut and throughout the United States, the Annual All-Town Music Festivals, honors level high school ensembles and an emphasis placed on creating original music in our music curriculum continue to offer exceptional opportunities for students to realize their musical potential in our district.
Darien's Music Department Receives National Recognition
Darien has been honored with the Best Communities for Education Recognition by the NAMM Foundation!
Click here to read the full Press Release