Your friends will be there. Most North Allegheny 8th grade orchestra students join orchestra at NAI. At a big school, it’s a great place to find a lot of familiar faces.
You will have orchestra every day.The orchestras at NAI rehearse for 40 minutes together every day. You are a part of a large ensemble at every rehearsal. Students say they feel like they progress more quickly since they are playing on a more regular basis.
No more practice logs (but definitely practice). High school kids enjoy no longer having to submit practice logs…but they will also tell you practice is still important in making progress.
You’ll have room for it in your schedule…AND other fun things, too. Some 8th graders worry about not having room in their schedules to try new things. Kids find room in their schedules and this usually gets easier with each year of high school.
It’s so impressive that you’ve stuck with it for so many years. Colleges love that you are involved in many activities, but they also really like to see that you can commit to something for a long time. How many other activities have you been doing as long as orchestra??
It’s a way to use your brain differently during the school day. Students say orchestra is a place to “relax” and get away from rigorous academic classes during the day. Actually, creating music engages every single part of your brain, so it might engage you in a way that helps you to be more productive in every other class.
The Golden Strolling Strings program is fun.The Golden Strolling Strings perform throughout the school year, and it’s not a huge time commitment. 9th graders don’t start strolling until December, you only go to one out of every four events, and you’ll spend class time learning the music. The Strolling Strings have played at holiday parties, wedding receptions, and a variety of banquets. We even met Buddy Valastro (from TLC’s Cake Boss) a few years ago at an event.
We’re going to Disney World. You've been hearing about it since you joined orchestra in 3rd grade. We go to Disney World every four years! We’ll get to be in a music competition and we’ll also work in a Disney recording studio to learn what it’s like to make a movie soundtrack. We go on a trip EVERY YEAR, though, and they are all fun, so consider taking advantage of every one!
There are fun extra-curricular orchestra activities available to you. Orchestra members in grades 9-12 can take advantage of playing in competitive PMEA orchestras, pit orchestra for the NASH spring musical, and various quartets and small groups.
Music is an important part of who you are; and there’s a place for everyone in orchestra. You’ve spent so many years learning an instrument—wouldn’t it be crazy NOT to play it anymore? We have auditioned groups and non-auditioned groups. We have kids who practice a lot and kids who don’t. We have kids who are really involved in sports and kids who make orchestra their main priority. There is a place for EVERYONE. Join us for laughter, fun, and music making every day.