The year 2025 rings in a significant milestone in your life as you begin preparing to transition to Pope High School. Our goal is to ease your transition and provide all the pertinent information you would need to continue your course of study in Music. The Pope High School Band is a thriving program servicing 3 Concert Bands, 2 Jazz Bands, Marching Band, AP Music Theory, and Chamber Ensembles. We are excited to welcome you into our family and hope the information provided will assist you as you begin preparing for your registration process.

Please do not hesitate to reach out should you have any questions throughout the audition or enrollment process. 

Mr. Bo Sodders, Director of Bands - [email protected] 
Mr. Joshua Rudolph, Associate Director of Bands - [email protected]

BIG NEWS!

The Pope High School Marching Band has been selected to perform in the 2027 St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland! 

POPE BAND COURSE OFFERINGS

BAND CLASSES
Concert Band
The focus of this group is development of skills with emphasis on fundamentals. The concert band will participate in all concerts and the GMEA Large Group Performance Evaluations. Students are highly encouraged to audition for District Honor Band / All-State Band. Private lessons are strongly encouraged.

Wind Symphony & Symphonic Band
Considered the first & second performing ensembles. In order to be in these groups, students must demonstrate the highest level of musical maturity, technical proficiency, and commitment to rehearsal and practice time. Students must seriously pursue individual goals on their instrument as well as working toward ensemble goals. Auditioning for District Honor Band/All-State Band is expected. Private lessons are strongly encouraged.
EXTRA CURRICULAR ENSEMBLES
​Marching Band
The Marching Band is the largest performing group at Pope High School. The band performs at all varsity football games, several competitions, and parades. The marching band season is from July-October. 

Jazz Band
The Jazz Band & Swingphonic Band is an ensemble that meets after school once a week at the completion of the marching band season. Both jazz ensembles perform at the District 12 Jazz LGPE. 

Percussion Ensemble
The Percussion Ensemble meets in the Winter/Spring and regularly participate in the Lassiter Percussion Symposium and PASIC. The percussion ensemble is open to all percussionists. 

​Color Guard / Winter Guard
The Color Guard program performs with the marching band throughout the fall and additionally puts on a winter guard show in the months of December-April. 

RISING 9th GRADER enrollment guide

Prior to Registration, what should I do? ​Pick your TOP 5 Electives: BAND (band must be your #1 elective course to ensure your placement into this course)
     *After your spring audition, you will be placed into an ability-based band, thus, you will sign-up for a generic ‘band’ class.
 
The Day of Registration
You will receive an emailed google form link from Pope HS to select your TOP 5 Electives on the dates listed above. There will be 5 drop down selections in which you will rank your elective registration. You should register for band by selecting BAND as your #1 Elective Choice in the Drop-Down Menu. This will ensure that we can properly place you into an ability-based ensemble. Electives are filled by class rank (Juniors – Sophomores – Freshman – 8th Grade), thus if classes are full, they will go further down your elective list until there is an open seat. There are no seat limits in Band. 

​Sample schedule

*You will notice below that band is in the 1st period scheduling spot for each year of high school. 
*World Geography is an elective and not a graduation requirement. 
Current 8th Graders - Elective Registration
​Follow all steps in the Pope Band registration process at your respective middle school and high school.  
MARCH 3-7 - ELECTIVE REGISTRATION WINDOW​
Current 9-11th Graders - Elective Registration
Students will receive a Google Form link to select their electives for the 2025-2026 school year.
MARCH 3-7, 2025 - ELECTIVE REGISTRATION WINDOW
Audition Requirements
     Click the hyperlinks in blue below to access music & submission folders. 
** Submit all audition files to the links above. 

Your audition is complete!

Congratulations! You've submitted all required materials to complete your 2025-2026 Pope Band Audition! We look forward to having you a part of the Pope Band Family!

PBPA Membership toolkit registration

The next step in our registration process is the Pope Band Parents Association registration in Membership Toolkit. 

​Every family is required to fill out the following paperwork : MEMBERSHIP TOOLKIT
     (this applies to concert bands, marching bands, color guard, etc...)


WHAT'S NEXT?

  • Be on the lookout from email correspondences through the Pope Band Booster Association on upcoming events!
    • Marching Band Informational Meeting - date forthcoming
      • We will host a Marching Band Information Meeting to give you all the exciting details about the 2025 season! 
    • Pope Band & Marching Band Registration - membership toolkit link above
      • This registration date is hosted by the Pope Band Parents Association and allows our organization to collect all required materials, forms, fees, etc... for participation in the Pope HS Band Program.  More details will be communicated in the near future. 
  • GET INVOLVED! We welcome all new & old families to be an integral part in your child's music education experience. Please consider the many volunteer opportunities within the Pope Band Parent Association. This organization truly takes a village! CHECK THESE OPPORTUNITIES HERE! 

band calendar

The band calendar can be found under the "DATES" tab at the top of the website and is currently updated through May 2026!
​Please use this calendar when planning personal schedules for potential conflicts with band concerts, rehearsals, etc... 

school owned instruments vs. personal instruments

In high school, students are highly recommended to begin "stepping" up their instruments to an intermediate/professional model. Many students "fight" their beginning 6th grade instruments in high school because of their limited capabilities.  We equate your 6th grade starting instruments to a bike with training wheels, and the more advance you become, we take off these wheels to better facilitate the capabilities of the bike. This equally is essential in musical instruments. Please never hesitate to contact us when you begin this buying process. 
​
The following instruments are supplied through the Pope Band program: 
Piccolo (selected students)
Bass Clarinet (students should supply their own mouthpiece, ligature, and reeds)
Tenor Saxophone (students should supply their own mouthpiece, ligature, and reeds)
Baritone Saxophone (students should supply their own mouthpiece, ligature, and reeds)
French Horn (students should supply their own mouthpiece)
Mellophone (marching instrument, students should supply their own mouthpiece)
Trombone (marching instrument, students should supply their own mouthpiece)
Euphonium (students should supply their own mouthpiece)
Baritone (marching instrument, students should supply their own mouthpiece)
Tuba (students should supply their own mouthpiece)
Sousaphone (marching instrument, students should supply their own mouthpiece)

​Student leadership opportunities in pope band

The Pope Band offers several ways in which you will gain leadership experience! Annually, the Pope Band offers a leadership clinic in the spring in which any student is able to attend to learn effective leadership habits and skills within the Pope Band and beyond.
Marching Band Leadership Positions
Drum Majors
Section Leaders
Logistics Team
Prop Crew
Music Librarians 
​General Council 
Concert Band Leadership Roles
Principal Players
​Band Librarians 

Community Outreach
Pope Band Recycling 
Shop with a Greyhound 
​East Cobber Parade
​

musical wanderlust

The Pope Band is a well traveled band program, using music as our vehicle to travel the world! We can't wait to continue this tradition with YOU! 
​
London New Years Day Parade
Children's Hospital of Atlanta Christmas Parade
New York City Carnegie Hall Performance 
Waikiki Thanksgiving Parade 
Cotton Bowl Parade
Bands of America Regional and Grand National Championships
Disney's "High School Musical" performance at the Fox Theatre
​Winter Guard International World Championships
Percussion Arts Society Conference

Approximated costs

Honor ensembles
Concert Band: $175.00 
Marching Band: $1,100.00 (Concert fee included in cost)
Jazz Band: $75.00
Winter Guard: ~$500.00
Students must be enrolled in the Pope High School Band Program to participate in outside honor ensembles. We highly encourage our students to become active in the plethora of available ensembles: 

GMEA District 12 Honor Band (highest number of students in CCSD)
GMEA All-State Band and Orchestra (2nd highest number in the state)
​Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra (AYSO)
Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony (AYSW)
Metro-Atlanta Youth Wind Ensemble (MAYWE) 
Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestra (MYSO)
Georgia Youth Symphony Orchestra (GYSO)
Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra (EYSO)
Tuba Christmas