Performance Assessment Festival

2026 Assessment Dates

Southern Area, March 16 - 19, 2026

Northern Area, March 23 - 26, 2026

2026 PGCPS Assessment Schedule - Coming Soon!

2025 PGCPS Assessment Schedule

Pictures from the the 2023-2024 Northern and Southern Area Large Ensemble Performance Assessments

FAQ's About Instrumental Music Performance Assessment

What is a Performance Assessment Festival?

Each year during the month of March, bands and orchestras from each secondary school perform three concert selections that they have been working on for a few months. The purpose of the assessment is to display knowledge and ability of how to perform selected concert music in the style and interpretation of the composer. Two of the selections must be selected from the Maryland Band Director's Association (MBDA) or Maryland Orchestra Director's Association (MODA) list. A panel of three adjudicators from outside of Prince George's County Public Schools grade each group on stage by the following criteria:

• Tone, Intonation, Technique, Balance, Interpretation, and Musical effect

Where does my child go after they perform on stage?

No, not done yet! Immediately following the stage performance, the ensemble moves to a closed location called sight-reading, which is evaluated by a single adjudicator. In the sight-reading room, the ensemble must perform a musical selection they have never seen before for a fourth and final rating calculated into the group's on stage performance.

After Sight-Reading, are they done?

The final part of the performance assessment is the required listening component. Each group must listen to one other performance from participating schools. This not only provides an audience for each group but allows the students and teachers to hear their peers within the district. At the conclusion, each ensemble is given a final overall rating, recorded judges comments, and a stage performance recording. If an ensemble qualifies, they have the option to participate in the Maryland State Assessment Festival typically held in late April.

Each musical selection from the MBDA/MODA lists are rated by difficulty:

1 - Easy

2 - Moderately Easy

3 - Average

4 - Moderately Difficult

5 - Difficult

6 - Very Difficult 

Performance Ratings given to each ensemble are described as:

I - Superior = Best possible performance.

II - Excellent = Performance of distinctive quality, with minor performance errors.

III - Average = Performance showing some accomplishments but lacking in essential musical qualities.

IV - Fair = Weak and uncertain performance, with little to no musical cohesiveness.

V - Poor = Unprepared performance with no musical understanding.

CO - Comments Only = Director has chosen to receive pertinent musical feedback and student experience without the possibility for participation on the state level.

Concert Etiquette

1. Never enter or exit a performance area WHILE a group is playing.

2. Make sure electronic devices are off.

3. If conductor's arm/baton is up but the group is not playing, please do NOT clap yet. The selection is not over.

4. If video recording is allowed, please step to the side as not to block the audience behind you. No flashes or bright lights please!