A MISD orchestra student's journey through 8 years of beautiful music is both mapped out with high expectations of outcomes and differentiated to his or her personal musical ambitions and passion.
Every orchestra student at any ability level can fully participate in the orchestra program right through high school. They will be challenged with every opportunity to perform solo/ensemble/large orchestra and to compete if they wish. Extra help is provided through assistant coaching in each grade - all funded through donations. From 5th to 8th grade, parents play an important role in their children's music education - from parent-child lessons in 5th grade through instilling good practice habits and assessment in the middle school.
Advanced students, those who are pursuing music with outside lessons and additional practice, have extra sectional, performance and other opportunities starting in 5th grade. As examples, 5th grade advanced students meet separately on Wednesdays high school students may have a master class with a professional musician, and in all grades, advanced students are given 8-measure solos or ensembles at concerts. Advanced students have multiple teaching opportunities: in school, privately for hire, and in the wider community at low-income schools. Finally, an audition-based Chamber Ensemble is a performance group opportunity for advanced students in 10th-12th grades.
For detailed information for 4th grade (preview/instrument selection) through 12th grade, please visit the grade by grade pages at:
A MISD orchestra student's journey through 8 years of beautiful music is both mapped out with high expectations of outcomes and differentiated to his or her personal musical ambitions and passion.