Middle School Honor Orchestra

Like almost every other 3rd grader in my elementary school, when the enrichment program came to talk about joining the orchestra and band, I was fascinated. I admired the kids, not much older than me, who could play their instruments flawlessly and effortlessly. Immediately I knew that orchestra was for me, and I rushed home with a paper in hand begging my mom to let me take lessons at my school. Originally, I wanted to play the cello and pleaded with my mom to let me play one; I loved the deep, rich sounds of the strings. Instead, my mom convinced me to play the violin, a less expensive instrument and much easier to carry around than a cello.

The concert performed by the Allen High School Symphony Orchestra, which combines the Chamber and Sinfonia Orchestras, was an amazing concert but was not a flawless one. The pieces all sounded quite wonderful on the outside, but by diving deeper into the music and truly listening to and observing the performance with a sharper eye, there were some problems that appeared in a couple different areas, and those problems came mainly from three distinct areas: tone, technique, and musicianship.

Congratulations to the students in 7th and 8th grade who spent a whole weekend at UMKC for the UMKC Honor Band and Orchestra. These students were nominated by their peers and teachers and selected by the UMKC staff. The nominees had to perform a solo piece to audition for seating. There were more than 25 other local middle schools participating in this festival, and Prairie Star did quite well with a whopping 13 students accepted to the festival.

Many don’t realize that an orchestra is a team, a team is defined by Merriam-Webster as a group of people who work together. However, being apart of a team is much more important than that, it is a group of people you rely on, that push you to do better. Being apart of a group can requires you to do the same for others: be there for them, push them to be better. Orchestra is very similar to a sports team, in that there is no real “star” of the show. Because, if one person messes up then they affect everyone. When everyone works hard and plays well together it can be a great experience, but when people don’t try and lower the talent level of the group, it can be very frustrating. Because of this, the orchestra dynamic can be very discouraging to be a part of. In a high school orchestra you will see three main types of people: hard workers, attempters, and slackers.

I learned two instruments my Senior year. This experience has taught me that if you are truly committed to something, you can achieve it, even if you didn’t start young.

I have played trumpet since I was in the fourth grade -- that makes a grand total of 8 years. I had always taken private lesson and taken a keen interest in perfecting the instrument. At the beginning of high school, I decided to switch teachers and start working towards the district band audition. Just like with everything else I do, I was going to put all my effort into making district band. To be honest, I did not think I was going to make district band freshman year of high school simply because it was my first time auditioning. But when it was all said and done, I received a spot in the district band ensemble. It was the best musical experience I have ever had. I have never heard so many great musicians together before, and to be a part of it was absolutely incredible. I knew that I had to do anything I could to be a part of this group year

Since the six grade I always wanted to travel to Chicago for band. So I joined a band I had an extremely fun Time. I got to seventh grade and I was in concert band and if I wanted to perform in Chicago I had to make the symphonic band by eighth-grade. I practice so much in seventh grade that eighth-grade came around I was the second chair in the symphonic band tuba section. I made it through almost all of eighth grade year and made a lot of memories but, I still had one more to go, Chicago.

   When I moved back to Georgia the first time, I was placed into an orchestra class that made me feel like a 30 year-old woman stuck in first grade. I was uncomfortable with the fact that I wasn't being challenged and my love for music was slowly diminishing. It wasn't until I moved back to Virginia that I was put into one of the most highly-recognized high school orchestras in Chesapeake, Grassfield High School. My orchestra director, Mr. Vutsinas, pushed me to new heights of musicality that I did not know I could not

I am part of the Godinez Black and Gold Marching band, and I have the official position of Wood Wind Captain. I lead the wood wind which consists of Clarinets, Flutes, Saxophones, and other instruments as well. I think through this experience it has helped me with my communicating and listening skills, I am now more aware of what people are capable and not capable of doing. During any school event in which we are a part of I make sure we act appropriately and show that our school is fun and mature.

I have also been a member of band and a part of the college ambassadors. I have done band for four years and my freshman year I was a part of the all-county band. All-county band is an audition from all of the best band members from every school in the county and there are limited spots with certain instruments to come together into a mass band and perform together. All county band members are known to being the best band players in the county yet alone at your school. As a college ambassador, it is a group of about ten people who come together and discuss college choices, standardized test, studies, majors and life during college. This group has helped me make college decisions, made me a better person overall, has taught me many different options and routes through college, such as introducing me to internships during college. All throughout school ever since elementary school I have been on A/B honor roll and I still am to this day. My junior year I was inducted into the National Honors Society and the National Technical Honors Society, so grades are very important to me because I understand sports do not last forever but education and knowledge

“Introducing Davenport West Connection!!!” This is how every show choir performance for west connection members starts no matter what the year. Show choir is one of the most fun activities I have ever taken part in. From back in 8th grade Williams Intermediate Show Choir, to now in Davenport West Connection I have loved every minute of it. The people, hair and makeup, performing onstage, and even the practices were full of fun and laughter. Throughout 8th grade to now there is an enormous difference between high school show choir, and middle school show choir causing one to exceed the other. The practice and rehearsals, fundamentals of the performance, and competitions widely contrast one another yet have surprising comparisons which contribute

On Saturday, December 12th, the High School Philharmonic All-Region Orchestra performed a variety of fascinating pieces. They were directed by Professor Edward Kawakami from Carthage College. The region orchestra began the concert with “Pomp and Circumstance March No. 4 op. 39” by Edward Elgar. The next piece that the orchestras performed was “Clair de Lune” by Claude Debussy. The last piece that the High School Philharmonic All-Region Orchestra performed was “Samson and Dalila Dance Bacchanale op. 47” by Camille Saint-Saens.

I have danced with two different groups and I sang alto for a short time with a quartet of girls. We covered a lot of other artist songs along with writing a few of our own. Our group name was K4 which stood for Kennett Four, we all attended Kennett High School in Kennett Square, PA. We all live in separate parts of the country now, but we still keep in touch. I carry that into the work I do now. I enjoy putting things together and

(this answer must be at least 100 words) Participating in wind ensemble contributed to my high school experience was the best experience of my life. It was my first time in that school not knowing anyone, it was also my first time playing in a band and actually having my hands on and instrument of MY choice. I fell in love with the sound of my instrument and the sound of an ensemble together. This is an experience i'll forever carry with me and the joy it'll bring me thinking back on it,, im sad to leave it

I first joined the band in the fourth grade playing the drums. I played for about two weeks then I quit because I didn't like it, mostly because of the teacher. In the sixth grade we got a new music teacher and told me I look like a trumpet player, so I gave it a try. I was taking music lessons but after the first one my music teacher told me she had to leave because she