High School

9th Grade Band

This course is designed for all 9th grade brass, woodwind, and percussion students who wish to develop their ability to perform instrumental music. Included are studies in instrumental technique, music reading, expressive playing, critical listening, diverse instrumental literature, and performance skills. Students are required to schedule and attend two lessons per quarter and all performances are mandatory.

Concert Band

This course is designed for all 10th, 11th, 12th grade brass, woodwind, and percussion students who wish to develop their ability to perform instrumental music. Included are studies in instrumental technique, music reading, expressive playing, critical listening, diverse instrumental literature, and performance skills. Students are required to schedule and attend two lessons per quarter and all performances are mandatory.

Symphonic Winds / Symphonic Winds Honors

This course is designed for all 10th, 11th, and 12th grade brass, woodwind, and percussion students who wish to develop their ability to perform instrumental music. Included are studies in instrumental technique, music reading, expressive playing, critical listening, diverse instrumental literature, and performance skills. Students are required to schedule and attend two lessons per quarter and all performances are mandatory. 

The following would be the requirement to receive honors credit. Marking period 1 & 2 (must complete at least2) 1. Participation and completion of Marching Band season (full year). 2. Research presentation to the class or Research Paper with topic approved by teacher. 3. Audition for PMEA, BCMEA, Jazz bands, pit orchestra, all Eastern, or All National ensembles with a detailed practice journal. 4. Participation in PMEA or All National ensemble with reflection paper. 5. Participation and performance with a Falcon Activity ensemble, Extra-curricular ensemble, Solo Honors Recital, or faculty approved ensemble. Marking periods 3 & 4 (Must complete at least 2) 1. Participation in Region, All State, or All Eastern Ensemble with reflection paper. 2. Participation in and completion of season in pit orchestra, jazz ensemble, or Concert Jazz band. 3. Research presentation to the class or Research Paper with topic approved by teacher. 4. Audition for symphonic band or orchestra with a detailed practice journal. 5. Participation and performance with a Falcon Activity ensemble, Extra-curricular ensemble, Solo Honors Recital, or faculty approved ensemble.

Jazz Practices

This course is designed for 11th and 12th grade instrumentalists and vocalists who have successfully completed Music Theory 1, and who desire to improve the study of jazz improvisation and the jazz idiom. This is a performance-based class and henceforth the skills necessary for participation in band, orchestra and/or choir apply.

Concert Orchestra

This course is designed for violin, viola, cello, string bass, and harp students who wish to develop their ability to perform instrumental music. Included are studies in instrumental technique, music reading, expressive playing, critical listening, diverse instrumental literature, and performance skills. Students are required to attend all performances and two lessons per quarter. Lessons are scheduled on a rotating basis to minimize interference with other subjects.

Symphonic Orchestra / Symphonic Orchestra Honors

This course is designed for violin, viola, cello, string bass, and harp students who wish to develop their ability to perform instrumental music. Included are studies in instrumental technique, music reading, expressive playing, critical listening, diverse instrumental literature, and performance skills. Students are required to attend two lessons per quarter and all performances are mandatory. 

The following are the requirements to receive honors credit. Marking period 1 & 2 (must complete at least 2) 1. Participation and completion of Marching Band season (full year). 2. Research presentation to the class or Research Paper with topic approved by teacher. 3. Audition for PMEA, BCMEA, Jazz bands, pit orchestra, all Eastern, or All National ensembles with a detailed practice journal. 4. Participation in PMEA or All National ensemble with reflection paper. 5. Participation and performance with a Falcon Activity ensemble, Extra curricular ensemble, Solo Honors Recital, or faculty approved ensemble. Marking periods 3 & 4 (Must complete at least 2) 1. Participation in Region, All State, or All Eastern Ensemble with reflection paper. 2. Participation in and completion of season in pit orchestra, jazz ensemble, or Concert Jazz band. 3. Research presentation to the class or Research Paper with topic approved by teacher. 4. Audition for symphonic band or orchestra with a detailed practice journal. 5. Participation and performance with a Falcon Activity ensemble, Extra-curricular ensemble, Solo Honors Recital, or faculty approved ensemble.

Marching Band

The Pennsbury High School Marching Band, nicknamed the “Long Orange Line” because of its sheer size, is internationally recognized as one of the premier high school Marching Bands in the United States. The “LOL” has an extremely rich 75-year tradition of excellence since its inception in 1949.  The band has performed on five Continents and at five Disney theme parks, which gave us our second nickname “The Mickey Mouse Band”.  The “LOL” has performed at a number of prestigious parades around the world including The New Year’s Day Celebration in London, The Tournament of Roses Parade “America’s New Year’s Day Parade” in Pasadena, California, the 69th Norfolk NATO Parade in April 2022, and most recently in Normandy, France in March 2024. 

Our band is known for holding their heads high with Pennsbury Pride, and our alumni expect to see this pride and discipline at football games, throughout the field shows, at parades, and at every rehearsal.  Although the tradition of the “Long Orange Line” is great, it is only maintained through the dedication, commitment, perseverance, and hard work of its latest members.

We are ecstatic to welcome you to join in this tradition of excellence to join the ”LOL”.  Throughout your time with the band you will begin to build life-long friendships and memories that will continue beyond your time at Pennsbury High School.  You will begin to understand what it means to be part of something bigger than yourself and realize what hard work and determination really  means.  It is no surprise that our alumni members look upon their time in the marching band as some of their greatest memories from high school.

Jazz Bands - Pennsbury Concert Jazz Band & Pennsbury Jazz Ensemble

The Pennsbury Concert Jazz Band has long been considered one of the finest musical ensembles in the country. Year after year it consistently earns the highest rankings at festivals in which it competes. Since its beginnings in 1959, the musicians in this group have performed jazz music at a level not typical of high school age students.

The Pennsbury Concert Jazz Band has been an integral part of the Pennsbury instrumental music program.  The band has performed on the  “Tonight Show,” at the Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, the Mellon Jazz Festival and the Montreal Jazz Festival. Guest soloists through the years have included Stan Kenton, Maynard Ferguson, Bill Watrous, Terell Stafford, Carl Allen, Phil Woods, Joe Alessi, Dick Oatts, and Wayne Bergeron. The Pennsbury Concert Jazz Band has the distinct honor of being the first American High School Jazz Band to perform throughout the People’s Republic of China.  Many compositions have been composed for PCJB by such jazz great grammy award-winning composers as Sammy Nestico, Frank Mantooth, Bob Mintzer and currently Emmy and Grammy award winning composer Patrick Williams has written a work for PCJB. The Pennsbury School District is listed as one of the “100 Best Communities for music education in the United States”. The Pennsbury Concert Jazz Band in 2008 toured Hong Kong, China; 2010 London England; 2012 Buenos Aires, Argentina; and 2017 California.

The Pennsbury Jazz Ensemble has been an integral part of the music program at Pennsbury since the ensemble’s inception in 1991. The Pennsbury Instrumental Music Program has the distinction of being listed as one of the “100 Best Communities for music education in the United States”, and Jazz has been an important part of the program since the 1950’s.  The Jazz Ensemble is designed for students to enhance their jazz musicianship and prepare them for future music making in the jazz idiom. The Jazz Ensemble season begins in November and includes competitions through mid-May.