The Musicians

The Glendora High School Chamber and String Orchestras consists of a nondiscriminatory group of members from all four classes, Freshmen to Seniors, that share the common talent of playing classical string instruments. They are part of a proud musical tradition within the Glendora Unified School District, representing the highest level of experience amongst string musicians at our High School. Students have dedicated themselves to attending a daily class in which they prepare for a number of free concerts (though donations are always welcome) throughout the course of the regular school year.

For a list of all concerts, please refer to the Calendar of Events below. The concerts feature a variety of musical themes and exhibit pieces from a number of different stylistic periods, including the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and 20th Century Eras as well as contemporary works from modern composers. Sharing the facilities with the renowned Glendora Band and Pageantry Programs, the G.H.S. Orchestras are rapidly gaining notice within the community. The members would like to invite any and all of string music lovers throughout the area to come and witness the growth of a fantastic new generation of musicians.

Leadership

The Orchestra provides leadership positions for members interested in serving on the Orchestra Board. These students provide vital leadership and communication to the Orchestra.

Presidents

Chamber Orchestra - Mary Dalton & Dana
String Orchestra - Hannah Johnson

The President heads the group by organizing activities and meetings, communicating with persons of business as well as other members of the Orchestra board. The President is responsible for tracking events and keeping time schedules current.

Secretaries

Chamber Orchestra - Jessica Oscco
String Orchestra - Erica Pages

The Secretary manages date and times of concerts and events, and is in charge of filing papers. The Secretary helps with fiscal issues of the orchestra and works closely with other board members.

Historians

Chamber Orchestra - Brian Arikawa & Matt Ferrer
String Orchestra - Isiah Baiseri

The Historians record the memorable events of the year and catalogues them in a special slide show presentation for the End of the Year Awards Concert. The Historians also work closely with the other board members.

Other leadership roles that are active in the Orchestra consist of our concert masters and section leaders. The Concert Master for the Chamber Orchestra is Lester Tsai, and section leaders Sean Aldas, Mary Dalton, Jessica Oscco, Michelle Tambash, and Dana Yeo. The concert master for the String Orchestra is Tyler ten Broek, and section leaders are Ryan Kabala, Molly Ruhl, Chris Versch, Michael Watkins, and Andrew Yousef. These students lead through a high quality of musicianship and dedication. They work with their sections (group) of the Orchestras and help with style, rhythms and note reading.

Calendar of Events

Fall Concert - October 10, 2007*

California Reading Association Concert - Nov. 10, 2007

Holiday Concert - December 17, 2007*

Disneyland Concert - December 3, 2007

Los Angeles Philharmonic Field Trip - February 15, 2008

Middle School Visitation - March 7, 2007

Spring Concert - March 4, 2008*

Sacramento & San Francisco Tour - March 27-30, 2008

Elementary School Concerts - April 17, 2006

End Of The Year Awards Concert - May 20, 2008*

Ross Festival - May 30, 2008

Baccalaureate - June 8, 2008

*These concerts are held in the Little Theatre of the Event Center at GHS and commence at 7:00 P.M.

Additional Activities

Recruiting

As high school students, we feel it is important to inspire up and coming musicians to remain with their instruments and consider joining the G.H.S. Orchestras when they enter high school. This being, we annually visit the middle schools and elementary schools to perform recruitment concerts featuring music especially designed for them.

Goddard and Sandburg Recruiting - March 7, 2007

Elementary School Concerts - April 17, 2007

Disneyland - Disneyland Community Arts Showcase has been kind enough to hold free concerts in the park featuring young musicians. To be accepted for this performance, groups must send in an audition tape and formal photo. Each group is rated based on how they play with special attention to balance, tone quality, intonation, articulation and phrasing. In addition to these aspects each group is also rated on their posture and stage presence. The G.H.S. Orchestra has auditioned and been accepted for the past five years and once again hopes to have the privilege of performing at Disneyland. We have submitted our audition tape and are waiting for acceptance. After performing, Orchestra members will enjoy the Disneyland Theme Park for free!!!

Last year the orchestra traveled to San Diego for their fourth annual tour. This year we will be traveling to Sacramento & San Francisco. The tour experience offers a combination of musical performances, educational, and fun-filled events. Our tour this year, pending School Board approval, will be March 27-30, 2008.

Versatility

Beyond their tremendous musical gifts, orchestra members are often highly involved in other school-related activities. This year student interest include the Basketball, Cross-Country, Soccer, Swimming, Tennis, Track, Volleyball, Water Polo and Wrestling athletic programs held at G.H.S. Students also hold many club affiliations such as Academic Decathlon, Academic Letter Club, Art Club, Asian Cultural Exchange Club, Boy Scouts, California Scholarship Federation, Chess Club, Christian Club, Culture Club, Girl Scouts, Interact, Leo Club, Marching Band/Drum Line, National Honor Society, New Hope Club, Sign Language Club, Surf Club and Varsity Song. In accordance to the personal growth of each individual, musically as well as in other aspects, students are encouraged to pursue any number of preferred interests to produce a well-rounded and versatile individual.

Contact Us

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, you may contact us at Phone (626)963-5731 x362, Fax (626) 963-2880, or e-mail ghsorchestra@earthlink.net