Festival Hours and Admission:
- Tuesday, April 9, 2:45 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.: Free all day for all spectators
- Wednesday, April 10, 9:00 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.: Free for all spectators
- Wednesday, April 10, 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., Orchestra Showcase: Adults $10.00, Students 18 & under are free
- Thursday, April 11, 9:00 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.: Free for all spectators
- Thursday, April 11, 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., Winds Showcase: Adults $10.00, Students 18 & under are free
The annual Poway Band and Orchestra Festival hosted by Poway High School (PHS) and the PHS Instrumental Music Program will be held on April 9 through April 11 at the Poway Center for the Performing Arts (PCPA) on the PHS campus.
The three-day festival will present over 40 talented middle school and high school ensembles from the Poway Unified School District (PUSD), as well as, from other Southern California communities. They will be performing before a distinguished panel of Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association (SCSBOA) judges. In addition to performances in the PCPA, there will be sight-reading sessions in PHS Room N-2 (across from the PHS Band Room N-1) all day on Tuesday, and from 9:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday.
The SCSBOA judges, who are specialists in their respective fields, make constructive comments and criticism using the official adjudication forms. No winners or rankings are awarded. Ratings are given, including Superior, Excellent, Good, Fair, and Poor. Experienced music educators set the rating standards; however, the rating received is not as important as the learning process that has preceded the performance.
The Orchestra Showcase on Wednesday evening will feature several excellent high school orchestras. During the Winds Showcase on Thursday evening, the leading wind ensembles from PUSD high schools will perform. On both evenings, the first Showcase performance starts at 6:00 p.m., and the last performance starts at 8:00 p.m. Admission on each evening is $10.00 for adults and no charge for students who are 18 years and under.