The U.S. contains many prestigious institutions of music, with bands like the Chicago Symphony and New York Philharmonic renowned worldwide. There are hundreds of musical colleges for students interested in pursuing their passion, and in some places that schooling extends all the way down to grade school. 

McLean High School of Virginia, for example, is known for its prowess in the field of music, possessing one of the best high school bands in the country. It has had a Feature Ensemble Performance in the Musical for All National Festival, one of the most prestigious musical organizations in the US, five times between 1995 and 2015. McLean’s continued excellence is partially due to its large student body and school-sponsored musical support, but the driving factor for its superiority is the responsibility band members feel to uphold the band’s esteemed reputation. 

As a given population increases, it stands to reason that the variety of experiences and interests will increase as well. In the context of schools, the more students there are the more variation in interests and the more students within each interest group. 

McLean High School has a large population of 2275 students—much greater than the national average of 854 students. This allows for a greater number of students who find interest in band, increasing the potential size of the band in the school—in essence, a larger talent pool. 

However, since the band has a maximum size, competition increases. Musicians now must work harder and be more skillful to distinguish themselves from their peers, creating a higher standard of excellence for music within the school. The large population of McLean indirectly contributes to a competitive setting, which in turn improves the overall quality of the band and is a foundation for McLean’s unusual strength.

McLean builds upon this foundation by offering a host of resources to facilitate musical growth in students. For example, the school implements afterschool rehearsals, adding to the time students spend learning music with a teacher, improving the band. It also hires professional musicians to work closely with students in each instrument section, in a process called “sectionals.” This improves the skill level of students so that when each section plays in the band, it does so with better musicality and quality. 

However, McLean is not the only school within Virginia with a large population or sectionals, so what sets it above the rest? The answer lies in its reputation. 

A reputation to uphold can be a driving force for students in any subject. High expectations tend to improve performance, whereas low expectations tend to hurt it: this is now known as the “Pygmalion effect.” 

A study conducted in the 1960s by Harvard psychologist Robert Rosenthal originally tested this idea in the context of academic performance. He discovered that the group of students who had high expectations placed on them by teachers experienced greater improvement over two years than the group that was presented with no expectations at all. 

McLean’s long streak of excellence creates an expectation for students to win certain competitions every year and maintain its reputation as the best, and students feel obligated to adhere to this high standard. By trying to live up to the reputation of the band they are part of and match the skill that is expected of them, students improve rapidly and to an unmatched level. 

If there were no expectations for students to play that well, most wouldn’t; they would lack the necessary motivation. McLean’s reputation, and associated expectations, influences students so that they struggle to improve, and is the ultimate cause of the band’s excellence. Combined with the school’s large population and support of music, it becomes clear why Mclean has the strongest band in the state.

Check out McLean’s 2018 performance, which won the Sudler Flag of Honor.