The Easton Area High School (EAHS) Instrumental Music Program has a long history of success. The program consists of nearly 380 students in grades 9 – 12 and encompasses marching band, three concert bands, three orchestras, two jazz ensembles, pep band, and pit orchestra.
Marching Band
The Easton Area High School “Red Rover” Marching Band consists of approximately 300 students in grades 9-12. The group builds upon itself each year and works hard to improve to continue the legacy of the program. The marching band provides our students with numerous experiences and opportunities they will carry with them throughout their lifetime.
The goal of the marching band is to provide students with an enriching experience, both musically and non-musically, and to strengthen the ties with our community through entertaining and exciting performances. The band works on one competitive, yet entertaining, show throughout the marching season. Additionally, the band prepares a pregame show that is performed at each home football game in Cottingham Stadium.
The marching band performs at every Easton Area High School football game. One of the highlights of our season is the annual football game against rival Phillipsburg High School, among the nation’s longest-standing high school football rivalries dating back to 1905, played on Thanksgiving Day each year at Lafayette College’s Fisher Field. In addition to performances at football games, the marching band also hosts its annual “First Flag Over the United Colonies” band festival at the end of September. The band performs in various festivals throughout the area, along with an annual Halloween and Memorial Day Parade in Easton, PA. The band also travels annually to West Chester to perform in the annual West Chester Christmas Parade.
The Easton Area High School Marching Band performs throughout the community, state, and country. National performances include the 1994 Rose Bowl Bowl Parade, Citrus Bowl, 1997 Sugar Bowl, Walt Disney Main Street Parade, 2005 Presidential Inauguration Parade, 2010 Bridgepoint Holiday Education Bowl, 2014 Orange Bowl, 2015 Miss America Parade, 2017 Fiesta Bowl Parade, 2020 Gator Bowl, 2022 NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and 2022 Shenandoah Apple Blossom Parade. Most recently, the band paraded down Main Street USA in Walt Disney World in December 2023.
Tradition is the hard work and dedication of those that stood here before you.
TODAY is your turn.
Orchestra
The Easton Area High School Orchestra program consists of approximately 120 students in grades 9-12. Curricular offerings for the orchestra program include a symphonic orchestra, exposing students to full orchestra repertoire, along with a 9th grade string ensemble. Students also may audition for extra curricular ensembles including Chamber Strings and Pit Orchestra.
Recent accomplishments for the orchestra include eight EAHS violinists performing with the Piano Guys at the State Theatre in Easton, PA in September 2019 and again in September 2022. In May 2019, both the 10 – 12 Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Strings traveled to a PMEA Adjudication, earning top marks at a rating of “Superior” by a panel of judges. Most recently, the EAHS Orchestras traveled to Florida in December 2019 and performed inside Universal Studios on the CityWalk in Orlando, Florida. The orchestras most recently performed in Disney Springs in December 2023.
Chamber Strings is an auditioned ensemble consisting of only string students. This group learns advanced repertoire and performs consistently throughout the community and at various school events. In the fall of 2019, this group collaborated with Kim Cook, cello professor at Penn State, as a part of their fall concert.
Students also have the opportunity to participate in the pit orchestra for the Spring Musical. This 40-member group consists of both strings and winds/ percussion and is exclusively students. During the 2019 season, the pit orchestra earned the distinction from the Freddy Awards of “Best Performance by an Orchestra.”
Jazz Band
The Easton Area High School Jazz program consists of two extra curricular ensembles, along with two curricular classes. Students may choose to take Honors Jazz Improvisation & Arranging I or Honors Jazz Improvisation & Arranging II. Through these courses, students learn about jazz harmonies, scales, and theory. Additionally, students listen extensively and learn in depth about significant musicians of the genre. Students in the second level of the course compose a chart for full jazz ensemble.
Every student has a place within the jazz program at EAHS. Any student wishing to perform jazz may participate in Jazz Lab while acceptance into Jazz Band is based upon audition. The jazz program at EAHS annually hosts a jazz festival, inviting local bands and guest clinicians. Additionally, the jazz program holds its annual “Saturday Night Swing” and “Christmas… and all that Jazz” events, both filled with great food and live music.
The Jazz Band travels and competes extensively throughout the spring season. The band consistently receives high ratings and outstanding section awards. The Jazz Band rehearses three hours, once weekly, in the evenings, while students also hold sectionals outside of rehearsal.
The jazz program has a longstanding partnership with the Altes Gymnasium in Flensburg, Germany. Through this partnership, the two jazz bands travel back and forth from Germany to the US and vice versa every few years. In doing so, the students learn about each other’s cultures, traditions, and have the opportunity to perform together. In October 2022, students from the Altes Gymnasium traveled to Easton, PA to continue this tradition. The jazz band then traveled to Germany May 21 – 28, 2023 as a part of this cultural exchange.
PMEA Participation
Students have the opportunity to audition for honors ensembles through the Pennsylvania Music Education Association (PMEA). Each year, approximately 10 – 15 students participate in PMEA district, regional, and state level festivals. In the 2022 – 2023 school year, three students performed with the NAfME All-Eastern Orchestra and one student performed with the NAfME All-National Orchestra.