Orchestra – The Forgotten Music Program
October 5, 2009 • written by Ariel Kleinschmidt
Band. Since the days we took our first little steps into elementary school as well as Jr. High and High school, it has been a program anyone has been able to join. Band has been a musical staple in almost all teaching institutions and a critical part of school life for many students. Even if you weren’t able to play any instrument the entire student body benefited from being able to hear these students perform at school functions and at band and choir concerts. The program is a constant that would not be moved or changed without much struggle from the talented students that entered the music classes everyday. But band is not the only instrument program offered at every school.
Orchestra was a big part of my first elementary school and something that I have missed since I left. Something about the sound of string instruments weaved with woodwinds and percussion and brass has always had an enchanting hold on many people. But for the students at Park Senior High School, this is not a lavish pleasure students are allowed to participate in. There is no orchestra program offered within Park High walls.
For those who don’t know, an orchestra varies from a traditional band in many ways. The first and foremost variation being the fact that string instruments such as Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass, and Harp are not included in a band. Other percussion instruments such as the Timpani, Tam-tam (gong), Celesta, or Castanets are generally not included. The last most notable difference being size, a band could have a great variation in players while an orchestra would have an rather constant forty people.
For some students at Park High, the lack of an orchestra comes at the price of not participating in school music programs. Julia Kuhns, a 10th grader fresh from Oltman Jr. High has been playing the Violin for roughly five years. She is not a band student though, because the school does not offer an orchestra program and string instruments generally are not welcome in a school band. I asked her if she would like to see an orchestra in the school, she said she would. When asked if she would join if the program was offered, she again said yes.
From Julia, yes an orchestra would be liked and embraced program in the school, but other students had mixed opinions. Some band students I spoke with agreed that an orchestra would be a good addition to the school, while others simple stated that the band was enough. Students who could play orchestra instruments said that they would like to see an orchestra but scuffled around a clear answer of if they would actually join it if offered. Students who could not play an orchestra instrument and were also not in band had almost bitter remarks toward the subject. A handful said that an orchestra would be a welcome addition to the school, but many more chuffed at the idea. A freshman went as far as to say “… only band kids care about band, and the rest of us couldn’t care less.”
I asked all students I questioned if they had guesses on why orchestra wasn’t offered at Park, with very similar answers from most students. Many believed that the budget might have something to do with it. That in order to add an orchestra program money would have to be taken from another to support in. Others mentioned space or the inability to find a teacher qualified to instruct an orchestra. Even fewer who understood the dynamics of an orchestra mentioned the lack of students. Finding forty that were able and willing to play in an orchestra may be hard. Whatever the reason, most were dismal at best.
Park High School has an excellent set of students to perform in band, but is it right to let those talented in other instruments stay in the dark? The pros of a happier, more complete, and sense of fairness in the student body – is it worth the costs of time and money that it would take to create and sustain an orchestra program? I don’t have the answer to that question, but I’d like to make it aware to you. Orchestras along with bands bring unity and a musical touch to schools. Students should not be asked to step down because they prefer one instrument over another but others should not pay to make changes happen for those students.
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Great job, Ariel! This is a really good story!
I think an orchestra would be a nice addition to our school, but I don’t think it will happen.