GW Middle School Band Boosters

We all know that music enriches our lives.  Music is critical to brain development, creativity and culture.  It can be therapeutic, helping us to process strong emotions and stress more effectively. The George Washington Middle School Band is a jewel in the Alexandria City Public Schools crown, providing a place where over 200 middle school students can thrive in music and community.  And we, the audience, get to experience the results of their hard work in the concert performances of the Prelude, Concert, Symphonic, Wind Ensemble, Modern and Jazz Bands.   

Please donate to help the GWMS Band Boosters support our students with emergency instrument and uniform replacements and repairs, sheet music, and other costs necessary to keep the band going.  We count on your generous support to defray expenses for the Spring band competition trips to make this middle school band experience affordable and within reach for all.

Here's a little more on music to underscore why the GW Band is so important. Thank you!

"Music enhances the process of learning. The systems it nourishes, which include our integrated sensory, attention, cognitive, emotional and motor capacities, are shown to be the driving forces behind all other learning."   

From Empathy, Arts and Social Studies, Konrad, R.R.

"The musician is constantly adjusting decisions on tempo, tone, style, rhythm, phrasing and feeling - training the brain to become incredibly good at organizing and conducting numerous activities at once. Dedicated practice of this orchestration can have a great payoff for lifelong attention skills, intelligence, and an ability for self-knowledge and expression."    

From A User's Guide to the Brain, Ratey, John J., MD