Music Education Changes Lives
Join CHSMPA in supporting excellent music education in South Orange and Maplewood NJ.
Upcoming Events
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BAND CAMP KICKS OFF
Monday, August 10
While for many, Summer is a quiet, restful time, for the Cougar Marching Band, it is GO TIME. The Band kicks off its two-week intensive clinic at CHS on August 10, where the students will nail down every note and step of their 2026 Field Show.
If you know a band or color guard kid (or staffer), you know that August is a ton of hard work, but when some amazing memories are made.
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MARCHING BAND PARENTS OPEN MEETING
August 18, 7PM
CHS CafeteriaCHSMPA’s Band VPs Missy Wahlers and Laura Wood, along with Director Peter Bauer, will be hosting a general information session for parents of Marching Band and Color Guard members. They’ll also be describing ways parents can get involved as volunteers—it takes a village and parents are a key part of it!
Come and hear about what the season looks like and how to get involved.
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COUGAR BAND TO PREMIERE 2026 FIELD SHOW
Friday, August 28,
Underhill StadiumThe Cougar Marching band is proud to announce it will premiere its 2026 field show, Club Fuego, at the Columbia High School Home Opener Football Game. More details to follow.
Beatfest Brings Down the House — and Makes the Front Page
On May 28, Columbia High School's student musicians did something most adults wouldn't attempt: they planned, produced, and ran an entire music festival themselves — and packed the house doing it.
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.