Music Education Changes Lives
Join CHSMPA in supporting excellent music education in South Orange and Maplewood NJ.
Restore Freshman Access to the Music Tech Program!!
June 18, 2026 The CHSMPA Board urges the SOMSD Board and administration to reconsider their recent decision to restrict Freshmen from enrolling in Music Tech and Music Theory. This decision limits students from building college-ready music portfolios, blocks a pathway to AP Music theory in 10th Grade for students who can’t afford private lessons, and effectively empties this program from the bottom up, at a time when it is newly certified as a 21st Century Skills program.
Upcoming Events
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MARCHING BAND REGISTRATION IS OPEN
2026 Season Preparation is Starting
Now is the time to register if you want to join the Pride of Columbia Cougar Marching Band. Preparation of the 2026 Season is under way as the detail readies its new field show. Sectional rehearsals have started!
Joining the Marching Band and Color Guard is a transformative experience for participants, and 2026 looks to be another banner year.
Get more information from Mr. Peter Bauer, director, here.
Registration closes July 1. Note returning members have to register, too.
Columbia’s ‘Into The Woods’ Enchants SOMA
Columbia’s annual musical, a star-studded staging of Sondheim’s Into The Woods, got six sold-out audiences on their feet, filling the halls of Columbia with magic, mirth, a giant and a cow.
Jazz Band Takes SOPAC Stage in Finale Concert
The Columbia Jazz Band burned down the house at SOPAC on February 18, performing two sets of greats and standards for a near-sold-out crowd. It was the culmination of the ensemble’s season, which included mentoring from visiting Jazz legends.
Noteworthy Appears at Adelphi’s SingStrong Festival
Columbia High School’s own Noteworthy a cappella combo rocked the Performing Arts Center at Adelphi University as part of the SingStrong A Cappella Festival.
SOMA Rocks Brings Down the House, Raises Funds
The Local Heroes band and CHSMPA welcomed a star-studded roster of Broadway talent to rock a sold-out crowd and raise over $18K for CHS Music Programs.