Why Join Band?

Because Band:

✦ Is fun! Students have many performance opportunities, get to take several field trips throughout their band career, and get to participate in activities like Instrument Swap, Band Olympics, Pancake Parties, and more.
✦ Fosters the essential life skills of self-discipline, teamwork, responsibility, perseverance, and critical thinking
✦ Is linked to enhanced cognitive development and academic performance (studies linked below)
✦ Gives students an outlet for their creativity and self-expression
✦ Builds a foundation of musical literacy and facility that can be a springboard for any number of musical pursuits
✦ Is a place where students build long-lasting friendships. Unlike other classes, the same group of band students stays together for their whole middle school career, and having that close-knit group during the transition to high school can be a huge difference-maker in helping students start off their high school career with success.

Speaking of high school success — the Sellwood Band program feeds into one of the best and most decorated high school band programs in the state of Oregon: Cleveland High School Band under the direction of celebrated music educator Gary Riler. Cleveland's Wind Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble both regularly place in the top 5 at the OSAA State Band Competition in the 6A division.

Track Record

A Tradition of Excellence

Sellwood Band ensembles consistently earn the top ratings at regional festivals, and our Jazz Band has built a reputation as one of the most competitive middle school jazz programs in the Pacific Northwest.

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1st Place — Clackamas Jazz Festival, 2026. The Sellwood Jazz Band took first place in the finals, competing against middle and high school programs from across the region, and placed in the top three at their last four competitions.

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Consistent Superior Ratings at Band Festivals. Our concert bands regularly receive Superior — the highest available rating — at festivals including the OSU MS Band Festival, PPS Band Festival, and Warner Pacific University Band Festival.

Clackamas Jazz Festival — Finals Performance · March 13, 2026

Community Partnerships

Rooted in the Sellwood Community

The Sellwood Band has been a cornerstone of the Sellwood community for decades, partnering with many neighborhood institutions including:

✦ Llewellyn Elementary: The Sellwood Band participates in the Monster March each October.
✦ Lewis Elementary: The Sellwood Jazz Band plays at the Lewis Winter Bazaar each December.
✦ Duniway Elementary: The Sellwood Band marches in the Duniway Parade each June.
✦ The Eastmoreland Neighborhood Association and Eastmoreland Garden Club: The Sellwood Jazz Band performs at the Eastmoreland Garden Party each May.
✦ Sellwood Senior Living: We have recently revived the tradition of bringing our jazz band down to play for our neighbors at Sellwood Senior Living. We had a blast!

The Science

What the Research Says

Decades of research consistently show that students who study instrumental music outperform their peers in measurable ways — academically, cognitively, and over the long arc of their lives.

Music Education & Academic Achievement

National Association for Music Education (NAfME)

A comprehensive overview of research linking music participation to higher grades, improved reading skills, and stronger math performance across K–12 students.

Music Students Score Higher on the SAT

College Board

College Board data shows students who study music score significantly higher on SAT verbal and math sections than students with no arts participation.

Music and the Brain: The Science of Why Music Makes Us Smarter

American Psychological Association

Research from Northwestern University shows that years of music training strengthen auditory processing, memory, and attention — benefits that persist into adulthood.

Music Making and Lifelong Brain Health

National Music Foundation

Active music-making has been linked to slower cognitive decline and stronger memory in aging adults — the instrument you pick up in middle school may protect your brain decades later.

Band Students Attend College at Twice the National Average

Children's Music Workshop & NAMM Foundation

Students with band and orchestra experience attend college at twice the national average. Band students are also 92% more likely to graduate from college, 67% more likely to earn a master's degree, and 33% more likely to earn a doctorate.

Music and Memory: How Playing an Instrument Strengthens the Mind

Harvard Medical School

Harvard researchers highlight how learning an instrument engages nearly every area of the brain simultaneously, with particularly strong effects on memory, fine motor control, and language processing.