About the Program

The Ocean Springs High School Band Program is recognized as one of the finest high school band programs in Mississippi. The program is made up of the Wind Symphony, Symphonic Winds, Concert Band, Blue-Grey Pride Marching Band, Pep Band, Jazz Band, as well as a variety of student chamber ensembles. Ocean Springs High School operates on a 4x4 block schedule. As a result, students enrolled in the band program receive approximately 90 minutes of daily band instruction.

The Ocean Springs Blue-Grey Pride Marching Band is comprised of all student members of the three concert ensembles with additional membership from the Varsity Dance Team and Color Guard. Annual participation in this group typically ranges from 250-275 students, making it one of the largest high school marching bands in the state of Mississippi. The Blue Grey Pride provides rousing entertainment at all home and away football games and serves as our marching ambassadors for all City of Ocean Springs parade events. The Ocean Springs Blue-Grey Pride Marching Band consistently scores superior ratings in every category of marching band performance. While this has been the standard for quite some time, significant improvement in marching band performance quality has taken place in recent years. This was especially evident during the 2019 fall semester as the marching band obtained two Grand Championship titles as well as additional class and over-all caption awards. In the spring of 2020, Ocean Springs High School Band Program received the Program of Excellence award from the American School Band Directors Association. This year the Blue-Grey Pride earned straight Superiors at State Marching Festival as well as took another Grand Championship title at the 2022 Battle on the Beach.

The strength of the Blue-Grey Pride Marching Band has a direct relation to the quality of the concert bands at Ocean Springs High School, for they are the cornerstone of the program. Students audition for placement into one of three concert ensembles including the Wind Symphony, Symphonic Winds, and Concert Band. The Wind Symphony is the premier performing organization of the Ocean Springs Band Program and has a rich history of being identified as one of the truly outstanding high school concert bands in the state. The Wind Symphony consistently receives superior ratings in concert and sight-reading performance and has been honored, through invitation, to perform at many significant events. Past performance appearances include the All South Honor Band Conference at The University of Southern Mississippi, the 44th Annual Southeastern United States Honor Band Clinic at Troy University, the 80th Annual Mississippi Bandmasters Association State Convention, the 6th Annual William Carey University Honor Band Clinic, 2021 CBDNA/NBA Southern Division Conference, the 2020 American Bandmasters Convention in Biloxi, MS, the 2022 Tri- State Honor Band Festival, held on the campus of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and the 2022 Western International Band Clinic in Seattle.

Individual musical development and achievement are critical to the success of the Ocean Springs Band Program. Numerous students are selected every year for various clinics and honor bands throughout the region. The Ocean Springs High School Band continues to have the highest number of students selected for membership in both the Mississippi All-State Concert Band and the Mississippi Lions State Band.

While great attention is dedicated to developing musical excellence, additional efforts are provided to foster a true sense of band family. Through embodying respect, caring, compassion, understanding, acceptance, teamwork, and leadership; a higher level of musical artistry may be achieved by all members of the Ocean Springs Band Program.