GARNET VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL MUSIC
Real GVHS Band Students share their experiences
Real GVHS Band Students share their experiences
Are you ready to make high school unforgettable? Joining the GVHS Band is about more than music – it's about fun, friendship, and finding your place!
👋 A Social Squad: Join a group of over 100 high schoolers, meet Juniors & Seniors at Band Camp. Start high school knowing friendly faces.
😋 Delicious Perks: Free soft pretzels at every away game, Band Camp food like Taco Night, Pizza, Pasta, Mac & Cheese, Ice Cream Truck Night, Water Ice Treats, and more!
📚 High School Ready: Learn your way around the school before the first day and get help from older students with classes or activities.
🏈 Free Football Games: As a marching band member, you get free admission to every game and the best seats in the house!
📣 The Hype Team: Be part of the band that the crowd and football players LOVE, bringing energy with drums, cheers, and fight songs at Friday Night Lights!
🎈 Fun Events: Talent Show, Drill Down, Band Olympics, Halloween Costume Contest, Community Caroling, Family/Friends Show, Section traditions like Trumpet Tennis Tournament and Flute Tie-Dye, to name a few.
🚌 Exciting Trips: Perform at super fun Band Festivals like Penncrest and OJR, where your talent shines. Fun bus trips, lots of food and meeting people.
⏰ Flexible Schedule: We work with busy schedules! Many band members are in sports, clubs, and AP classes. Schedule conflicts? No problem!
🤩 Boost Your Future: Participation in band shows colleges and employers you're a team player, hardworking, and dedicated—qualities that stand out on applications!
Interested in joining??
Let us know right now by completing this quick form!
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The GVHS Band program has over 140 students - about 10% of the school!
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We welcome ALL interested students to join - All experience levels, even beginners!
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Many band students are involved in multiple activities, including varsity athletes, AP scholars, student council, actors, singers, volunteers, gamers, artists, scientists, scouts, dancers, and much more. High School Band doesn't have to be a huge time commitment!
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We can help you find an instrument and we’ll teach you everything you need to know.
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Many options to participate: Marching Band, Band Class, Jazz band, Drumline, Color Guard, and more!
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HOW TO JOIN? Simply add “Concert Band” to your class schedule. Contact your guidance counselor to request Band class. (If you play percussion, you would add “Percussion Class” instead of concert band class.) For marching band or one of our other activities, just e-mail Dr. Selfridge at selfris@garnetvalley.org to ask about joining! You can also stop by to visit the band room (E128) anytime
Info and events
Jan/Feb - BAND FUN NIGHT #1 (date TBD). All 8th graders and high school prospective members invited!
Jan 15 - Course Selection Night
8th Graders welcome! Dr. Selfridge and Band student leaders will be there to meet you & chat!
Mar/Apr - Band Fun Night #2
All 8th graders and high school prospective members invited!
May - Final sign-ups for Marching Band!
We want YOU to be a part of our amazing Marching Band! We have a super fun season planned for next year.
Aug 11-15 & Aug 18-21 BAND CAMP
Kick off your high school year right with a fun and activity-filled experience at Band Camp! You'll meet lots of friendly faces, learn our exciting new field show, and enjoy lots of food, treats, and games.
Concert Band is a class that you register for (1 credit). Band class meets every other day during the school day. Band class is the center of our program - it is required if you want to participate in most of our other groups. (exception: color guard members are not required to be enrolled in band class)
Click here to learn more about how the music course schedule works
Click here to see how band class can fit into a busy course schedule
*Percussionists: you are a part of Concert Band, but you register for a class called Percussion Ensemble. You should not register for Concert Band class, you should instead register for “Percussion Ensemble”
We have 2-3 evening concerts each year. There is very little homework for this class, just occasional assignments and practicing your instrument at home.
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Marching Band is an after school activity that runs from Late August to the first week of November. We have lots of fun activities, including attending football games, several festival performances, and parades.
Marching Band is a great opportunity to meet friends and spend fun times together traveling and cheering on the team. Although it is not required, we encourage all students to give it a try. It’s not that hard, and we teach you how to march and play.
Medium after school commitment (Fall)
Marching Band is a busy (and fun) activity that lasts from mid-August to early November. During the season, we have practices twice a week in the evening and football games on Friday nights. We also have about 3 marching band festivals, which are fun events where we travel to another school, perform our show, meet other bands, and have free time to hang out/eat food.
Do you like things like movement, music, and dance? Color Guard is a dynamic and exciting activity that combines dance, flag spinning, and other equipment manipulation. If you love music, color guard is what helps bring it to life! Students don’t need to have a background in music or band—all they need is a desire to shine under the lights and a can-do attitude!
In color guard, you will learn choreography and perform to live music, as well as compete against other programs! Absolutely NO EXPERIENCE is necessary. We will teach you everything you need to know to participate.
Medium to High commitment
Color guard is a section of the Marching Band, so you will participate in all rehearsals and events as described above. Additionally, in the winter/spring, you have the option to participate in Indoor Color Guard, which is a competitive group that practices and competes from November - April.
To join, email directors Megan Karwoski and Alex Graney at gvcgstaff@gmail.com
The DRUMLINE is the heartbeat of the band! In the fall, the drumline practices many hours to bring the rhythm and amazing beat to the marching band performances, football games, and parades. To be in the drumline, students must be enrolled in either Percussion Ensemble Class, or Wind Ensemble (honors level). During your school class, you will learn all about playing in a percussion section for concert band or wind ensemble.
Medium to High commitment
In the fall, the time commitment for drumline is the same as all other marching band members.
In the winter-spring season, all percussion/drumline students have the opportunity to join the INDOOR DRUMLINE. This is a high-commitment and super-fun activity where you spend many hours learning a show. An indoor drumline is a musical ensemble that consists of percussion instruments, such as drums, keyboards, and auxiliary percussion, and performs choreographed music and movements indoors. The drumline competes in indoor marching band competitions where the goal is precision and artistic expression in performance.
To be a part of the drumline, students must enroll in "Percussion Ensemble Class" and also sign up for marching band. Email director Dr. Selfridge with questions - selfris@garnetvalley.org
The Jazz Band is another fun ensemble opportunity available for all band members. To be in the jazz band, students must be enrolled in a band class such as Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, or Percussion Ensemble.
Medium commitment
Jazz Band gets rolling in November and continues through the begining of May, performing in many competitions and jazz festivals. There are two jazz bands at GVHS, Jazz Band I (by audition) and Jazz Lab Band (open to all)
In addition to Jazz Band, there are several other opportuitues for band students to excel and enjoy practicing and performing. These ensembles include:
Brass Band
PMEA Honors Groups
Jazz Combo
Small Ensemble Concert
Email director Dr. Selfridge with questions - selfris@garnetvalley.org
A Note From Dr. Selfridge
"I encourage every student to give high school band a try. It's more than the music. It's about having fun, making friends, learning new things, and making your school experience full of great memories. I GUARANTEE you will be glad you gave it a try - and you might even love it!"
Come visit us in the band room (E128) or email Dr. Selfridge anytime to get started!
