Duke Ellington School of the Arts commemorates Duke Ellington

The Duke Ellington School of the Arts, named for Washington-born composer and bandleader Duke Ellington, opened as a public arts high school in 1974. Located at 3500 R Street NW, the school provides intensive training in music, theater, and visual arts and has alumni active in professional performance and composition. The school's name and programs explicitly honor Ellington's legacy in the city's musical history.