Orchestra- RMIB or Blair

[Anonymous]

DC is a rising 9th grader and trying to choose a good fit of school next year…
Is it realistically possible to do 4 years of orchestra if your child is at either RMIB or Blair SMAC?
DC really loves orchestra and the instrument she’s playing and wants to continue orchestra electives throughout the high school, but is concerned that she won’t be able to put orchestra elective in her schedule with all IB requirement classes or magnet electives that needs to be done. Are there many kids doing orchestra/band for 4 years at magnet program especially RM or Blair? Any other notes related to orchestra in those schools will be very much appreciated. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Lots of SMAC kids do orchestra or band for 4 years.
I don't know about RMIB but I thought it was interesting they had the tryout information for the more selective music groups in the welcome letter which implies that it may be possible and that they really value music.

[Anonymous]

RMIB might be as easy to do for all 4 years. This is one reason why DD turn down the offer years ago. It is hard to squeeze in music with so many required classes for the IB diploma. I am not saying it's impossible but hard.

[Anonymous]

You will need to plan ahead (summer online courses) to do 4 years of orchestra and the IB program. There are a lot of requirements to fit in and IB has no instrumental music class (very annoying!). I would ask this question to the magnet coordinator, I would guess there is a lot of overlap between orchestra and interest in the magnet.

Blair has a good orchestra program with some audition only ensembles. It is easier to fit orchestra into the AP curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Mine was able to do 3 of 4 years at Blair. One year, her math class (only 1 section) conflicted with Chamber, and she didn't want to take Symphonic instead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You will need to plan ahead (summer online courses) to do 4 years of orchestra and the IB program. There are a lot of requirements to fit in and IB has no instrumental music class (very annoying!). I would ask this question to the magnet coordinator, I would guess there is a lot of overlap between orchestra and interest in the magnet.

Blair has a good orchestra program with some audition only ensembles. It is easier to fit orchestra into the AP curriculum.

OP) Thanks everyone. Quick question… are instrumental music class and orchestra electives are two different thing? RMIB mentioned about taking an audition and join the Google classroom for orchestra. Blair hasn’t given any information related to orchestra, so just thought maybe RM is more keen to orchestra program. Am I wrong?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You will need to plan ahead (summer online courses) to do 4 years of orchestra and the IB program. There are a lot of requirements to fit in and IB has no instrumental music class (very annoying!). I would ask this question to the magnet coordinator, I would guess there is a lot of overlap between orchestra and interest in the magnet.

Blair has a good orchestra program with some audition only ensembles. It is easier to fit orchestra into the AP curriculum.

OP) Thanks everyone. Quick question… are instrumental music class and orchestra electives are two different thing? RMIB mentioned about taking an audition and join the Google classroom for orchestra. Blair hasn’t given any information related to orchestra, so just thought maybe RM is more keen to orchestra program. Am I wrong?

Blair is usually the top orchestra in the county, maybe state, I think. Ensembles are classes. Auditions will be in spring. Contact the orchestra teacher (email should be on Blair's website) to ask what you need to do and when.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mine was able to do 3 of 4 years at Blair. One year, her math class (only 1 section) conflicted with Chamber, and she didn't want to take Symphonic instead.

Yes, this is the other problem. As they get older there are fewer sections of classes and there may be a scheduling conflict. No planning ahead will help you. This happened to my DD as well at another school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You will need to plan ahead (summer online courses) to do 4 years of orchestra and the IB program. There are a lot of requirements to fit in and IB has no instrumental music class (very annoying!). I would ask this question to the magnet coordinator, I would guess there is a lot of overlap between orchestra and interest in the magnet.

Blair has a good orchestra program with some audition only ensembles. It is easier to fit orchestra into the AP curriculum.

OP) Thanks everyone. Quick question… are instrumental music class and orchestra electives are two different thing? RMIB mentioned about taking an audition and join the Google classroom for orchestra. Blair hasn’t given any information related to orchestra, so just thought maybe RM is more keen to orchestra program. Am I wrong?

Blair is usually the top orchestra in the county, maybe state, I think. Ensembles are classes. Auditions will be in spring. Contact the orchestra teacher (email should be on Blair's website) to ask what you need to do and when.

What makes you say that?

My kid was in the Senior Honors Orchestra this weekend. Looking at the program, most of the kids in Band were from Churchill or Wootton. Only a handful from Blair. Unless all the Blair kids do All-State?

Senior Orchestra seems to have kids from various high school, but Blair is not overly-represented. Though, maybe the kids at Blair are just really good and don't bother with the MCPS Honors Orch.

[Anonymous]

I cannot speak to either school but the new Blair orchestra teacher is amazing. She also does mcyo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You will need to plan ahead (summer online courses) to do 4 years of orchestra and the IB program. There are a lot of requirements to fit in and IB has no instrumental music class (very annoying!). I would ask this question to the magnet coordinator, I would guess there is a lot of overlap between orchestra and interest in the magnet.

Blair has a good orchestra program with some audition only ensembles. It is easier to fit orchestra into the AP curriculum.

Yes, tough at RMIB unless your kid does summer classes to get ahead. My kid did required Tech courses and Health A online during the summer, will do Health B once it’s available. This will allow her to do orchestra at least 3 of the 4 years. It’s an enjoyable experience that helps lighten the load but is not super rigorous, nothing like DC’s MS or regional orchestra experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You will need to plan ahead (summer online courses) to do 4 years of orchestra and the IB program. There are a lot of requirements to fit in and IB has no instrumental music class (very annoying!). I would ask this question to the magnet coordinator, I would guess there is a lot of overlap between orchestra and interest in the magnet.

Blair has a good orchestra program with some audition only ensembles. It is easier to fit orchestra into the AP curriculum.

OP) Thanks everyone. Quick question… are instrumental music class and orchestra electives are two different thing? RMIB mentioned about taking an audition and join the Google classroom for orchestra. Blair hasn’t given any information related to orchestra, so just thought maybe RM is more keen to orchestra program. Am I wrong?

Blair is usually the top orchestra in the county, maybe state, I think. Ensembles are classes. Auditions will be in spring. Contact the orchestra teacher (email should be on Blair's website) to ask what you need to do and when.

I thought Blair's conductor left for Cabin John last year. How is the orchestra this year?

That being said, I am not sure I would claim Blair is the "top in the county, maybe state".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You will need to plan ahead (summer online courses) to do 4 years of orchestra and the IB program. There are a lot of requirements to fit in and IB has no instrumental music class (very annoying!). I would ask this question to the magnet coordinator, I would guess there is a lot of overlap between orchestra and interest in the magnet.

Blair has a good orchestra program with some audition only ensembles. It is easier to fit orchestra into the AP curriculum.

OP) Thanks everyone. Quick question… are instrumental music class and orchestra electives are two different thing? RMIB mentioned about taking an audition and join the Google classroom for orchestra. Blair hasn’t given any information related to orchestra, so just thought maybe RM is more keen to orchestra program. Am I wrong?

Blair is usually the top orchestra in the county, maybe state, I think. Ensembles are classes. Auditions will be in spring. Contact the orchestra teacher (email should be on Blair's website) to ask what you need to do and when.

I thought Blair's conductor left for Cabin John last year. How is the orchestra this year?

That being said, I am not sure I would claim Blair is the "top in the county, maybe state".

The new one works for mcyo. She’s fantastic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I cannot speak to either school but the new Blair orchestra teacher is amazing. She also does mcyo.

As a side note, I would say Mr. Sanz from WCHS is quite spectacular. He heads the top Phila group at MCYO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I cannot speak to either school but the new Blair orchestra teacher is amazing. She also does mcyo.

That sounds awesome. What is her name? Looks the like it is not updated with her name on Blair website