The Dreyfoos School of the Arts Band Department is an award-winning and nationally recognized program, offering serious young musicians the opportunity to perform in a variety of ensembles while learning from experts in the field.  The DSOA Band has performed with great acclaim across the United States and beyond.  DSOA Bands have been featured at the Music Educators’ National Conference, have performed at the annual FMEA All-State Clinic & Conference in Tampa, was a featured program at the Music for All National Concert Band Festival, the Sandy Feldstein National Percussion Festival, and recently was a featured high school ensemble at the Collegiate Band Directors National Association Southern Division Conference at the University of South Florida.  More than 235 students have been selected for Florida All-State Honors over the past decade, and our students have the opportunity to perform in both large ensemble and small ensemble settings.  Students are engaged in rigorous coursework with electives such as Music Theory, Instrumental Techniques, Music Technology & Composition.  In addition, upper level students have the opportunity to be members of the DSOA Philharmonic Orchestra as well as collaborate with the Music Department’s Vocal, Strings & Piano majors on a variety of projects.  DSOA Band Majors get to work with a variety of clinicians, guest artists and collegiate professors throughout the course of the school year. Our graduates have gone on to attend some of our country’s finest universities, including the Julliard School, Eastman, Northwestern, Oberlin Conservatory, Duke, Yale, Columbia.

The Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts Jazz Program, under the leadership of Director of Jazz Studies Christopher M. De León, is recognized nationally for its excellence in jazz education. Located in downtown West Palm Beach, FL, our program is dedicated to fostering musical talent, artistic growth, and a deep appreciation for jazz.

At the heart of our program are three curricular Jazz Ensembles, which meet as regularly scheduled classes throughout the school day. These ensembles provide students with invaluable opportunities for study, collaboration, and performance. Additionally, our program features a curricular Jazz Combos/Improvisation, allowing students to explore the intricacies of improvisation and small-ensemble playing.

Over the last five years, the Dreyfoos Jazz Program has earned national acclaim and recognition. Our students have been honored with DownBeat Magazine Student Music Awards in both Small Ensemble and Large Ensemble categories (2021, 2023, 2024, and 2025) and earned the title of 2022 National Jazz Festival Champions. Most notably, Jazz Ensemble 1 has been selected as a Finalist for the prestigious Essentially Ellington Competition and Festival in 1998, 2021, 2024, and 2025—placing as the Honorable Mention Band (4th place) out of 30 international groups selected for the 2025 festival.

As ambassadors of jazz education, our students were also honored with an invitation to perform at the 2024 Jazz Education Network (JEN) National Conference in New Orleans, LA. We will once again be performing at the 2026 JEN Conference this coming January with our Jazz Combo.

The Dreyfoos Jazz program has shared the stage with renowned jazz artists, educators, and Grammy winning artists – Terell Stafford, Rodney Whitaker, Marcus Printup, Ron Blake, Charlie Porter, and Sherman Irby. Outside of the jazz genre, our students have also collaborated in opening act performances at concerts for Gwen Stefani and Luke Bryant.

Faculty information:

Evan Rogovin, Director of Bands
Bachelor of Music in Music Education, The University of Florida
William T Dwyer Award Winner, 2003
Randolph A. Frank Prize Award for Excellence in Music Education, 2019


Christopher M. De León, Director of Jazz Studies
BME with a minor in Jazz Studies, The Ohio State University