The Duxbury Public Schools has been given the designation as one of the Best Communities in the United States for Music Education! 

Established in 1999 by the NAMM Foundation, The Best Communities for Music Education survey is a nationwide search for communities who provide access to music education as an essential part of a complete education and exemplify commitment and support for music education.  The survey measured a variety of factors, including a budgetary commitment to music, opportunities to learn music, the presence of highly qualified, certified music teachers, adherence to state and national standards, types of musical experiences offered and opportunities for performance and competition, among others. To make the “Best Communities,” a community must be committed to access and high standards for music education in all those areas.

Under the leadership of Director of Music Jill Noerenberg, the Duxbury Public Schools have over 1,000 students from 5th grade – 12th grade playing an instrument and/or singing. Recently, DHS musicians have performed at Carnegie Hall, Jordan Hall, Strathmore Hall, Symphony Hall, and Walt Disney World.

All students in K-5 participate in weekly general music classes. Students in fourth and fifth grade have the opportunity to participate in chorus, and students can start learning an instrument in fifth grade. Each year, an average of ninety percent of the fifth-grade class starts playing an instrument. In sixth grade, students can participate in band, chorus, or orchestra, placing ninety-five percent of the class in a performing ensemble. There is one section of general music offered for sixth-grade students. The seventh and eighth grade performing ensembles include Silver Band, Green Band, Concert Chorus, Mixed Chorus, White Orchestra, and Green Orchestra. These are part-time courses, and meet every other period for rehearsal. Extracurricular ensembles include Junior Jazz Band, Junior Jazz Club, Symphony Orchestra, and Steel Drum Band.

The high school music program has three bands, choruses, and orchestras. The Wind Ensemble, String Ensemble, Chamber Singers, Symphonic Band, Chorale, and Chamber Orchestra are groups where students are accepted by audition. Students audition the previous spring and are asked to meet specific musical criteria to be placed in these advanced ensembles. Students in advanced ensembles must commit to weekly private lessons. Those students who want to continue performing but do not wish to prepare for an audition can play in larger performing groups: Concert Band, Concert Orchestra, and Concert Choir. All high school performing groups are full-time courses that meet five days in the seven-day cycle. The department also offers courses in Music Theory, Piano Lab, Music Business, Music Technology, Music Appreciation, and Music in Film. In addition to these classes, there are also extracurricular ensembles that meet outside the school day. These ensembles include Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Club, Jazz Combo, a cappella groups PAC Men and Here Comes Treble, and Pep Band. The music and drama departments also present an annual musical with a full student pit orchestra.

Out of Duxbury High School's population of approximately 1,000 students,  more than forty percent participate in a performing ensemble, and twenty-five elect the non-performance courses listed above. Ensembles in Duxbury have performed at the Massachusetts Music Educators Conference, NAfME All-Eastern Conference, Carnegie Hall, Strathmore Hall, Jordan Hall, Symphony Hall, and many other venues nationwide.