IMPORTANT FORMS & FAQS

BOPs Bylaws, Updated October 2025

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the instrumental performing groups my child can participate in at the high school?
What are the differences between Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, and Symphonic Band?
What are the differences between String Ensemble, String Orchestra, and Symphonic Orchestra?
What are the differences between Football Band, Competition Marching Band, and Color Guard?
What are Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Lab Band? How can my child participate in these groups?
What are PMEA and Tri-M?
What is a sectional?
Does my child have to participate in parades?
What and when is Band Camp?
What should I do about meals, when my child has practice/performance that lasts all day?
Where should my child change into his/her uniform?
Why are there three different uniforms?
My child's uniform needs repair, or he/she has outgrown it — what should I do?
Why does my child need special shoes for band?
How do I find out about last-minute changes for uniforms and report times?
What trips do the Band, Orchestra, and Color Guard usually take? How much do they cost?
How can BOPs help me cover the cost of these trips?
What is a trip account?
What is the difference between a gift card and scrip?
What is the Doghouse?
Why is band and orchestra only offered in Block 4, A/B format?
How does chorus and instrumental music work, when my child wants to take both?
Can my child participate in music and sports?
Does my child have to continue with private instrument lessons?
Where should I buy/service my child's instrument?
Is it true that the Haverford School District will pay for and maintain any secondary instrument that my child is required to play?
Where should my child store his/her instrument, at HHS?
My email address changed — how should I inform you, so that I can keep receiving BOPs emails?
What can I do to help my music student?

1. What are the instrumental performing groups my child can participate in at the high school?
Depending on the instrument(s) your child plays, he or she can become involved with one or more of several band, orchestra, or jazz groups: Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, Symphonic Band; String Ensemble, String Orchestra, Symphonic Orchestra; Football Band, Competition Marching Band, Color Guard, Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Lab Band, and chamber ensembles.

2. What are the differences between Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, and Symphonic Band?
There are two sections of Band: Wind Ensemble and Concert Band. Wind Ensemble is the higher-level group; placement is by audition, and it wears tuxedos/black dress for stage performances. Concert Band wears concert band uniforms for stage performances. Symphonic Band is the combined Concert Band/Wind Ensemble, for stage performance. Involvement with these groups requires attendance at sectionals throughout the school year.

3. What are the differences between String Ensemble, String Orchestra, and Symphonic Orchestra?
There are two sections of Strings: String Ensemble and String Orchestra. Both groups wear tuxedos/black dress. String Ensemble is the higher-level group — placement is by audition. Symphonic Orchestra is the combined String Orchestra/String Ensemble, with the addition of select Wind Ensemble members to complement the sound of the strings. Involvement with these groups also requires attendance at sectionals throughout the school year.

4. What are the differences between Football Band, Competition Marching Band, and Color Guard?
Football Band is the combined Concert Band/Wind Ensemble for outdoor performances (football games, parades, outdoor events), and Marching Band uniforms are worn. Competition Marching Band performs in judged marching band competitions in the fall, and travels to a regional competition at the end of their season. Any interested and qualified musician may participate. This group also wears Marching Band uniforms, complemented by plumes, gauntlets, and gloves (depending on instrument). Regular practices for Comp Band are held in the fall, and occasionally throughout spring and summer.

Color Guard is the visual complement of Football Band and Competition Marching Band, providing colorful coordinated field movement, often with aids like flags or props. A student may take Band or Orchestra and perform as Color Guard, but playing an instrument is not a requirement to join. 8th grade HMS students are also welcome to join the HHS Color Guard. Costumes, flags, and props for Color Guard are designed to fit the specific performance and change each year. Regular practices for Color Guard are held in the fall, and occasionally throughout spring and summer.

All Football Band, Competition Marching Band, and Color Guard members are required to attend Band Camp, at the end of the summer, to learn the new performance material.

5. What are Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Lab Band? How can my child participate in these groups?
Due to strong interest in jazz at Haverford High School, there are two performing jazz groups: the HHS Jazz Lab Band and the HHS Jazz Ensemble. Selection and group placement is determined by audition, held in June for the following year, and practices/performances continue throughout the year.

The HHS Jazz Ensemble:

performs advanced jazz literature
emphasizes improvisation in a variety of jazz styles
rehearses 2 times per week
performs at concerts, festivals, and competitions
is a graded course
earns 0.4 credits over the course of the year
requires enrollment in HHS Block 4 Band or Orchestra

The HHS Jazz Lab Band:

rehearses 1–2 times per week
keeps musicians actively participating in jazz performance and practice
is not graded, and does not earn credit
performs at concerts, festivals, and competitions

6. What are PMEA and Tri-M?
PMEA is the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association. There are three levels of potential achievement — District, Regional, and State — for Band and for Orchestra. Earning a seat to participate in a PMEA festival is a tremendous honor for 10th–12th graders. Auditions are required to proceed from one level to the next. See the Calendar for dates.

Tri-M (Modern Music Masters) is a local chapter of the Music Honor Society. Musical performance is emphasized. Members are expected to attend all Tri-M concerts and perform in at least 2 concerts. Members must be in grades 10–12, and must participate in at least one of the higher-level HHS performance groups (Jazz Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, String Ensemble, Chamber Singers). Finally, a member must maintain a minimum GPA of a "B," with no academic grades lower than "C." Ms. Kelsey Hendler is HHS Tri-M faculty supervisor.

7. What is a sectional?
Sectionals are required, after-school classes. Students earn an extra 0.2 credits on their transcripts for sectionals. Sectionals allow the directors to work with specific subgroups of instruments. Sectionals may change close to performance dates.

8. Does my child have to participate in parades?
Yes, if your student participates in Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, or Color Guard, attendance is mandatory.

9. What and when is Band Camp?
For Competition Marching Band, Band Camp occurs during the last two full weeks prior to the start of school, with four-hour sessions, twice daily. For Football Band, Band Camp begins on the Tuesday one week before school begins, with sessions in the evening. For all groups, Band Camp is free, occurs at HHS, and is mandatory.

10. What should I do about meals, when my child has practice/performance that lasts all day?
Plan ahead. Have your student pack snacks and meals. Some parents bring food in for their student if there is a scheduled break time. Many performance venues have food available as well, so having some cash on hand is generally a good idea.

11. Where should my child change into his/her uniform?
Most students arrive in uniform for away football games and indoor concerts. Competition Marching Band students typically practice before they perform, so they change into uniform on the bus. Home football games also generally involve practice before performance, so students typically change into uniforms at school, after practice. A unisex approach to undergarments works well — most students wear a black base layer.

12. Why are there three different uniforms?
Outdoor performances require a marching uniform, and indoor performances require either a concert band uniform or a tuxedo/black dress, depending on the performance group. Uniform fittings occur during Band Camp and/or during September. For further questions, contact the uniform representative listed on the Contacts page on hhsmusic.org.

13. My child's uniform needs repair, or he/she has outgrown it — what should I do?
Contact the uniform representative specific to the uniform in question, listed on the Contacts page of our website. Most likely, your rep will set a time to meet you and your student at the high school to re-fit from available extra uniforms. Some repairs can be done at the dry cleaner and reimbursed — ask your rep. It is your child's responsibility to maintain the uniform, clean and wrinkle-free, which may require dry cleaning as needed throughout the season. However, BOPs dry-cleans all of the uniforms over the summer, so returning a dirty uniform at the end of the year is okay. Please consider donating rolled-heel band shoes if they will no longer be needed. Garment bags will be provided to all students for uniform storage.

14. Why does my child need special shoes for band?
The heel is rolled in marching band shoes, which makes it easier for precision drill work on the field. At the beginning of Band Camp, there will be an opportunity to purchase a pair through the Marching Band Uniforms coordinator (see the Contacts page on our website, hhsmusic.org). There is also a "leftover" box, where graduates place used shoes that can be adopted by a new owner.

15. How do I find out about last-minute changes for uniforms and report times?
On this website, look for the important information box on the home page. We will try to keep that up-to-date. Emails are another way to get this information, so be sure that BOPs has your proper email address (send to bops@hhsmusic.org, if you have not yet done so).

16. What trips do the Band, Orchestra, and Color Guard usually take? How much do they cost?
Trips at the high school typically occur every other year, in even years; in the past we have alternated between Disney World and Virginia Beach. Orchestra and Symphonic Band (Block 4 instrumental students) perform for judges in indoor seated competitions (this is not a marching band competition). Participation for students who are Color Guard and/or only Comp Band is dependent upon finding a suitable adjudicated opportunity, and is not guaranteed. Seventh and eighth grade musicians will go to Dorney Park every other year. Trip fees range from around $100 for Dorney Park to $1,200 for Disney World. These are just ballpark estimates, as transportation fees can change dramatically from year to year.

17. How can BOPs help me cover the cost of these trips?
BOPs raises money throughout the year to help reduce costs for the entire group, as well as create opportunities for individual fundraising through trip accounts. Typical fundraisers include scrip purchase, gift card purchase, and Kidstuff coupon books. We have also conducted car washes and book wrappings, dividing 50% of the proceeds among the participants. As students contribute, a portion of the funds they raise goes into their individual trip account. See the Fundraising page for more information.

18. What is a trip account?
A trip account represents BOPs fundraising done specifically for your child. Money accumulated there can be used to offset trip expenses. Money can be transferred among siblings. It is never too early to start thinking about building your student's trip account. Some parents have been able to completely cover the cost of a trip with careful planning. See the Fundraising page for more information.

19. What is the difference between a gift card and scrip?
Gift cards can be ordered once a month, through the Gift Card Coordinator. Hundreds of stores participate, and the "commission" for your child's trip account is fairly high on some. Scrip is local, and includes several grocery stores, plus Centrella's hoagie vouchers and Young's Produce. These can be purchased any time from our Scrip Coordinators. Commission for grocery scrip is 3% for your trip account. Find contact information for these coordinators on the Fundraising page.

20. What is the Doghouse?
The Doghouse is the food venue at Haverford High School for football games, serving hot dogs (of course), soft pretzels, and other tasty treats. It is staffed by our Band and Orchestra Parent volunteers. All proceeds from Doghouse sales go directly into our Band and Orchestra Uniform Fund. Uniforms are a huge expense, and it takes years of saving to amass sufficient funds to replace them. Fundraising for Band and Orchestra uniforms is a critical function of BOPs.

21. Why is band and orchestra only offered in Block 4, A/B format?
Much thought has gone into providing the best musical learning experience for our talented high school students. Band, Orchestra, and Chorus are offered in the same block to ease scheduling. Within block scheduling, the A/B format allows students to take one credit of music for the entire year. There is no other easy way to accomplish that goal. We are constantly looking for ways to improve class offerings for Block 4 A/B, opposite music.

22. How does chorus and instrumental music work, when my child wants to take both?
There are several ways that choral and instrumental music coexist. One choice is to take 2 credits of music, all year — one of chorus, one of instrumental music, alternating on A/B days.

Another option is to take one credit of music on A day or B day, and spend half of Block 4 in chorus and half in instrumental music. To do this, a student must choose either higher-level instrumental (Wind Ensemble, String Ensemble) coupled with regular chorus (Concert Chorale), or regular instrumental (Concert Band, String Orchestra) coupled with higher-level chorus (Chamber Singers).

23. Can my child participate in music and sports?
Yes. Certain sports can be a challenge to coordinate, but there are creative ways to work around most. As an example, we used to have a trumpet player who was a kicker on the football team, so he would wear his football uniform while doing the football halftime show. It is possible to cheerlead, or play soccer, etc., and still participate in instrumental music. Please talk to your child's director directly to address any concerns you may have.

24. Does my child have to continue with private instrument lessons?
Private instruction is highly recommended. No class can replace the personal growth opportunities afforded by private instruction. Nuances of technique, notation, and articulation are best addressed by an individual who knows your student and can provide proper, immediate feedback. Contact your music director for a specific recommendation.

25. Where should I buy/service my child's instrument?
Many student musicians obtain their first instrument through Music & Arts (closest local store is in Lawrence Park). Their rent-to-own program is attractive to those who are not yet ready to commit to a full purchase, or who wish to upgrade their instrument down the road. They work closely with our school district and provide in-school pickups for repairs. A&G Music Center in Drexel Hill is another option for new instrument purchase, and carries an extensive selection of band and orchestra instruments. Private instructors can be excellent sources of information for securing quality used instruments. Secondary markets, such as eBay, are also popular with students seeking to obtain an instrument; as always, buyer beware. For string students, two online venues have been suggested: Southwest Strings (http://www.swstrings.com) and Shar Music (http://www.sharmusic.com).

26. Is it true that the Haverford School District will pay for and maintain any secondary instrument that my child is required to play?
Certain instruments, such as bass, baritone, and French horn, are provided by the school district for a nominal annual fee. The provision by the school district of certain secondary instruments (i.e., baritone sax if your student already has an alto sax) is at the discretion of the music director. Please discuss with your child's director.

27. Where should my child store his/her instrument, at HHS?
For Orchestra, in-school cellos, basses, and bows are provided, and are stored in racks in the Orchestra room. Cellists typically bring in their own instrument for concerts, however. Violas and violins have racks in the Orchestra room — these are not assigned, but there is plenty of room for all. Band students have lockers, with locks, in the band room, which can accommodate all different sizes of instruments. These are assigned at the beginning of the year. Some students do acquire a second instrument, to have one at home for practice and one to keep at school. As there is plenty of locker space for all, the most cost-effective solution is to make use of the school-provided lockers.

28. My email address changed — how should I inform you, so that I can keep receiving BOPs emails?
Send your name, your student's name and current grade, along with whatever performance groups they participate in (concert band, jazz ensemble, etc.), to bops@hhsmusic.org, attention BOPs Secretary.

29. What can I do to help my music student?
Take an interest in what they are doing musically. Remind them to check their uniform, and all of its components, a couple of nights before a performance — many high-blood-pressure moments can be avoided by thinking ahead. Ask about the pieces they are working on. Listen while they practice. Create an environment that is musically supportive. Take them to see good music — any kind they will sit through. Be part of the audience when they perform. Your student works hard to be part of a musical ensemble, and deserves your presence at their concerts. Share what you notice, in a positive and supportive way. Teens like to know that someone is paying attention, even if they won't admit it.

If you have a question that is not answered here, please go to the Contacts page and find a chairperson or officer related to your question. Thank you for your interest in the HMS/HHS instrumental music programs your child is taking.