The performing ensembles at Ellicott Mills Middle School include a demanding and detailed program that provide a challenging and rewarding education in music through performance. 

Music performance is an evolutionary process and change in this sense should not perceived as stressful but rather as an opportunity for exciting growth.  The objective is to prepare each student musician to appreciate music as a performer and listener.  Helping students develop good musical skills and promoting growth in musical understanding and appreciation are two of the most important factors in obtaining this objective.  In accordance with this goal, instrumental music is taught so as to develop in each student:

• ABILITY TO PERFORM ON A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT, INCLUDING VOICE. 
• ABILITY TO PERSEVERE THROUGH MUSICAL CHALLENGES, WORKING INDIVIDUALLY OR WITH AN ENSEMBLE.
• APPRECIATION AND UNDERSTANDING OF QUALITY IN ALL TYPES OF MUSIC AND ITS PERFORMANCE 
• DESIRE AND ABILITY TO HELP PERPETUATE THE CULTURAL ASSETS OF SOCIETY. 
• LASTING INTEREST IN MUSIC WHICH WILL DEVELOP THROUGH THE PERIOD OF FORMAL EDUCATION AND BEYOND, SO THAT MUSIC WILL BECOME A FIRMLY ESTABLISHED FACET OF DAILY LIVING. 
• INTEREST IN THE CREATIVE POSSIBILITIES IN MUSIC THAT WILL ENCOURAGE A CONTINUOUS EXPLORATION IN THE CREATIVE PROCESS.
• SENSITIVITY TO AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE BASIC ELEMENTS OF MUSIC: TONE, MELODY, RHYTHM, HARMONY, AND FORM.