Music Education Changes Lives
Join CHSMPA in supporting excellence in music education in South Orange and Maplewood NJ.
Upcoming Events
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RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP NOW
October 2026
CHSMPA memberships expired on August 31. We need as many members of the community to stay engaged and renew as members for the 2026-27 school year—your membership is more important than ever! Renew now to stay in the loop on everything music at Columbia.
Renewal is quick and easy, and all membership fees directly fund the Music Program support CHSMPA provides to CHS music directors.
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CATCH THE COUGAR MARCHING BAND PERFORMING ALL MONTH ACROSS NEW JERSEY
The Cougar Marching kicked off its 2026 Season tour at North Brunswick Twp High School on Oct 3, with a scorching, award-winning performance. You can catch the band’s field show, Club Fuego, throughout October, at these events:North Brunswick High School, Oct 3
Pequannock High School, Oct 10
CHS Home Game at Underhill (Band Senior Night), Oct 16
Wayne Valley, Oct 17
Ridge High School, Oct 24
Hanover Park High School (Rescheduled), Oct 25
NJ State Championships, Robbinsville, Oct 31 -
MARCHING BAND CELEBRATES ITS SENIORS
Friday, October 16, 2026, 7PM
Underhill StadiumCome out and celebrate the Seniors in the Band and Color Guard at senior night October 16. The community will honor the band’s Class of 2027, some of whom have performed with the band for 5 years, at the beginning of halftime.
Let’s give these accomplished performers the love and support they’ve earned in service to SOMA!
Beatfest Delivers a Magical Night—and its Biggest Crowd Ever
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.