Ensembles & Courses Offered

The Taft Marching Toreadors is an award-winning ensemble of winds, brass, percussion, and color guard. This ensemble performs at all home football games, parades, community events, and competes in local field tournaments across SoCal in the fall.  Counts for PE and Arts credit, and meets community service requirements for graduation. The group has earned the following honors:

LAUSD City Champions - 2025, 2A Division

LAUSD City Champions - 2017, 2018, 1A Division

SCSBOA Bronze Medalists - 2017, 2018, 1A Divison

Color Guard is a lyrical dance unit that uses flags, rifles, sabers, and other props as tools to enhance their performance.  Evolving from the military tradition, they help to bring emotion, feeling, and meaning to the marching band show each fall.  Counts for PE and Arts credit.

In the spring semester, this group performs and competes independently of the band in an activity commonly referred to as Winter Guard. The group has recently earned the following honors: 

Baldwin Park HS Competition - HSA Round 1, First place (2026)

The concert band  rehearses and performs a variety of traditional and contemporary band literature. The concert band participates in local music festivals in the spring. Many students earn spots in the LAUSD Honor Band and LA Youth Orchestra.  Counts for Arts credit. This group has earned the following honors:

LAUSD Instrumental Music Summit - Superior Rating (2026)

SCSBOA Festival - Excellent & Superior Ratings (2026)

The jazz band is an auditioned group featuring winds, brass,, and the rhythm section (drums, bass, piano, & guitar). This advanced ensemble rehearses and performs a variety of styles of music such as swing, Latin, funk, rock and contemporary. They attend Jazz Festivals and host a Jazz Dinner/Dance in the Spring. Many members also earn spots in the LAUSD All-City Jazz A Band, in partnership with the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz. Counts for Arts Credit. 

The jazz band is an auditioned group featuring saxophones, trombones, trumpets, and the rhythm section (drums, bass, piano, & guitar). This advanced ensemble rehearses and performs a variety of styles of music such as swing, Latin, funk, rock and contemporary. They attend Jazz Festivals and host a Jazz Dinner/Dance in the Spring. Counts for Arts Credit. 

Jazz A & B have earned Superior & Excellent Ratings since 2025. 

AP Music Theory is a year-long course designed to provide instruction equivalent to a first year college course. Open to Juniors and Seniors who have taken at least 1 music course at Taft, and is highly recommended for students interested in majoring or minoring in music in college. Offered based on student interest. 

The Advanced Orchestra is an award-winning ensemble that performs year-round and competes in festivals and competitions in the Spring, including our annual Six Flags Music in the Parks fest. They perform a variety of literature and enjoy working with guest clinicians, composers, and professional instrumentalists. This course is designed for students with at least one year of experience playing a string instrument. Counts for Arts Credit.  This ensemble has earned the following honors:

SCSBOA Festival - Superior Rating

Music in the Parks - 1st Place Superior

Music in the Parks - Best Overall Orchestra (HS Division) 

Want to learn a string instrument like violin, viola, cello, or bass? Join beginning orchestra! No audition necessary. One year of this course prepares students for entering Advanced Orchestra the following year. Counts for Arts Credit. 

Tri-M is a student-run club that participates in community service & organizes student-run chamber groups, such as string quartets, jazz combos, and more. It is affiliated with the National Association for Music Education. Meets community service requirements for graduation.