BROKEN ARROW BANDS

The Broken Arrow Band program was founded in 1929 and over the years has developed a tradition of musical excellence. The band program has been and remains “a work in progress.” Under its current structure, the Broken Arrow Band program consists of ensembles from five Middle Schools, a Freshman Academy, and one High School serving sophomores, juniors and seniors. With Beginning Band classes offered in the sixth grade, the Broken Arrow Bands have an enrollment in band of over 1,200 student musicians.

The concert bands in Broken Arrow have long been a driving force in the overall music program. The accumulation of more than 150 Oklahoma Secondary School Activity Association Sweepstakes Awards testifies to the excellence of these ensembles on the concert stage, in the sight-reading room and on the marching field. The Wind Bands of Broken Arrow have performed at many prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Bands of America National Festival and Dallas’ Meyerson Symphony Center. The Broken Arrow Wind Ensemble performed at Chicago’s 69th Annual Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in 2015 followed by the Broken Arrow Percussion Ensemble in 2016. The National Band Association selected the Broken Arrow Band as the 2107 National Winner of the Program of Excellence Blue Ribbon Award. The Broken Arrow Wind Ensemble was honored to be selected to perform at the prestigious American Bandmasters Association Convention in 2023. In 2024, the Broken Arrow Band Program was awarded the John Philip Sousa Foundation’s Sudler Flag of Honor.

Though Broken Arrow’s marching band is well known, the concert ensembles are the primary focus within the structure of the Broken Arrow Band program. Each high school band student is placed annually into one of eight concert bands that meet during the entire school term with no marching band rehearsal occurring during a concert band class. Students have opportunities to participate in additional program offerings that are embedded into the high school band curriculum and designed to enrich their music education experience, programs such as Chamber Ensembles, Percussion Ensembles, Orchestral Winds and AP Music Theory. The Broken Arrow Bands have a long history of students placing into All State and All Region Honor Bands as well as consistent appearances at the Oklahoma Music Educators Conference as a featured Honor Band. Additional performance-based programs are sustained throughout the school year including Winter Color Guard Training and Dance Seminar, Competitive Indoor Percussion, Pep Bands and a robust Jazz Ensemble program.

Broken Arrow’s marching band, The Pride of Broken Arrow, is a volunteer organization that is open to wind band students in the 9th through 12th grades. The Pride of Broken Arrow marching band is an extracurricular activity, with 100% of the rehearsal time held outside of the school day. The Pride performs at home and away football games as well as at various state, regional and national marching band competitions. Broken Arrow’s marching band has an extensive pedigree of state and national awards including 21 consecutive and 30 overall Oklahoma Bandmasters Association (OBA) State Marching Band Championships. The Broken Arrow marching band appeared in the 2009, 2013 and 2017 Tournament of Roses Parade and is a recipient of the John Phillip Sousa Foundation’s Sudler Shield in 1999, 2008 and 2017. As a representative of the State of Oklahoma, the Pride of Broken Arrow performed in Presidential Inaugural Parades for President William Jefferson Clinton (1993) and President George W. Bush (2005). The marching band is also a consistent finalist and Grand Champion at numerous Bands of America Regional Championships. The Pride of Broken Arrow was honored as the Bands of America Fan Favorite at multiple Grand National Championships and was the Esprit de Corps recipient in 1998 and 2010. Broken Arrow is a 17-time Grand National Finalist and is the 2006, 2011, 2015 and 2021 Bands of America Grand National Champion.

In addition to the work of the staff and students, the program recognizes their parent organization as the strength behind the band. The Broken Arrow Band Booster Club is comprised of hundreds of dedicated and talented adults who work toward a common goal of providing life-changing experiences for their children. The Broken Arrow Band program with the assistance of the Broken Arrow Band Booster Club annually hosts world-class events such as the Drums of Summer DCI competition and the Broken Arrow Invitational marching band competition, which attracts high school bands from around the nation.

The Broken Arrow Bands enjoy rich traditions and great support from parents, school administrators and the community. Each student, instructor and parent volunteer in the organization understands that they are but temporary stewards of the program and as such, they must diligently protect what has been entrusted to them. They firmly believe it is the journey that makes the difference and the growth attained through the process is more important than any award or accolade that may result.