The McKinney High School "Royal Pride Band", established in 1915, is structured to provide a rigorous and appropriately challenging musical experience for students at every level while maintaining a clear pathway for artistic growth. The program includes the marching band, two jazz bands, and four concert ensembles: Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Wind Symphony, and Wind Ensemble.

The Wind Ensemble serves as the premier concert ensemble and reflects the highest level of musical expectation within the program. Students in this ensemble participate consistently in private supplemental instruction and engage in a demanding performance schedule that emphasizes advanced repertoire, refined ensemble skills, and musical independence. Wind Ensemble musicians also serve as the core performers for the school’s pit orchestra productions and participate in the combined Full Symphony Orchestra in collaboration with the McKinney High School Orchestra program.

In addition to the concert ensemble structure, students participate in a comprehensive marching band program, the Royal Pride Band. This experience emphasizes collaboration, responsibility, and leadership development while reinforcing ensemble awareness, consistency, and accountability. The skills developed through this shared experience directly support the expectations of the Wind Ensemble and contribute to a unified program culture.

The program also supports two daily jazz ensembles, Mane Attraction Jazz Ensemble and Blue Cat Jazz Band. These groups provide sustained instruction in jazz performance, improvisation, and stylistic literacy while reinforcing high level musicianship across genres.

If you are seeking more information about our program and the current happenings, please visit the program website at royalprideband.org