music programs in public schools (Boston, Newton: 2009, college, live in)

[flaneur]

Hi,

I am looking for some information on music programs in public schools in Boston area. We currently live in MI where my daughter (8th grade) is heavily involved in school orchestra and local youth orchestra. My job may be relocating to Boston next year so I was wondering which of the schools in the area have the strongest music/orchestra programs. Is there any website that ranks such programs in Boston?

Thanks.

[Urban Peasant]

Boston Latin and Boston Latin Academy have the best music programs for public high schools in Boston but they are examination schools and I am not sure if it is too late for your daughter to take the exam to get into the 9th grade. Boston Latin has a stellar orchestra and concert choir and Boston Latin Academy (its sister school) is good too.

Outside of these two schools, it gets really iffy because of serious budget cuts that virtually axed music and arts programs from city high schools. Not that you want to send your daughter to the district schools anyway since most of them are awful. A handful of small pilot schools such as Another Course to College or Fenway Middle College are better but I am not sure if they have strong musical orchestras. Your best bet is moving to a Boston suburb.

[canyontothesky]

Growing up in Newton, there was always a strong orchestra program, on up from elementary, be it in schools or city-wide groups.

[buckets5501]

I haven't encountered a ranking list, beyond Boston Magazine's overall ranking, which is useful as far as the things that they deem important are also important to you - Public Schools Chart - Boston Magazine

But you could go to some of those school's websites and see what the offerings look like. Budget cuts have probably affected all programs to some degree.

The Massachusetts Music Educators Association might have someone you could talk to -
MMEA - Massachusetts Music Educators Association | www.mmeaonline.org

They have auditions each year for district orchestra, band, and chorus concerts - individual students audition as well as the school orchestra/band/chorus. I can't remember the exact procedure, but the school groups are given gold/silver medals and then have a public performance. I tried to find the list of last years' winners, but didn't have any luck.

There are also a number of audition orchestras in the area that draw kids from lots of area schools - the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, New England Conservatory, and Longy School of Music are probably the best known - each one of these has several orchestras each.
Home Page - Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras (BYSO)
Performance Ensembles | New England Conservatory
http://www.longy.edu/prep_studies/prep_orch_choir.htm

This is what I could thing off right off the bat. Let me know if you'd like more specific info. My kids aren't in any programs any longer, but were a few years ago.

[clevedark]

Brookline Schools have plenty of music education opportunities, however they vary by school (8 elementaries) and come together in the high school. My guess is the bigger, and the richer the town, the more musical opportunities there will be.

There are countless orchestras, chorus, teachers from nearby music schools, competitions, etc. in the boston area. It's a really busy area, musically, in the area close to Boston.