We currently have approximately 600 students involved in the strings program in our district. The program started around 1957 and has grown tremendously over the years. We currently offer two classes at each elementary school. The two middle schools each have three orchestras; a 6th grade orchestra, a 7th/8th grade orchestra and an advanced chamber ensemble. We also offer an extra-curricular auditioned “Honor Orchestra” at this level which meets Tuesday evenings and travels to competitions.
The high school orchestra program currently has 120 strings students involved in Concert Orchestra, String Orchestra, and an advanced Chamber Orchestra.
The orchestras traveled to San Francisco with our Concert Choir in 2018 and will attend the Pacific Basin Music Festival in Hawaii in March of 2020. Over the years the high school orchestra has won several state competitions and traveled to Hawaii, New York, and Washington D.C., to compete in festivals.
My Project
Having a well made, balanced bow is vital to teaching good bowing techniques and proper form to string students regardless of age or maturity. When the student has to fight the bow to make a strong, consistent sound, it is easy to become frustrated. Many of the bows we currently own are in very poor condition. They have been used by many students over the course of several years. Our budgets have been repeatedly reduced because of declining tax revenue in Oregon and we have been unable to repair and replace enough bows to keep up with student use and our growing program.
Many of our violin and viola players have to use bows that cannot handle the advanced level of playing that is required in the middle and high school orchestras.
These instruments are being used daily by several different students each year; it would be wonderful to be able to replace the bows to match our students’ playing abilities.
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