Pit instead of orchestra

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you’re in a state (VA, MD) with a regional/all-state orchestra program, then she can only audition for it if she participates in a school orchestra program. For some kids this is a pretty big deal, so maybe something to consider and ask about, especially since she already plays in a private orchestra.

Not true. My kid was not in orchestra one year and they were referred. We did not follow through but it’s possible but private orchestra conflicted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP, which school is that?

Public

No, it’s private. But thanks for trying to help (?).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look at larger schools like Flint Hill.

Flint Hill is not offering orchestra next year

[Anonymous]

School orchestras often aren't as good as outside orchestras. If you're already doing an outside orchestra, why do you need both?

Pit can be a very, very fun experience, and it teaches a different set of skills-- being flexible and attentive to what's on the stage, and coping with changes and the actors' mistakes in real time. I always enjoyed it. Music should be fun!

[Anonymous]

Most schools offer band and/or ensembles but not necessarily “orchestra” because they don’t know from one year to the next exactly what instruments they’ll have students playing. SSSAS offers three different instrumental ensembles as electives (plus chorus), but none of them are a full orchestra.

[Anonymous]

Schools don’t have orchestra because they aren’t large enough to sustain all three programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Schools don’t have orchestra because they aren’t large enough to sustain all three programs.

Given what they are charging there is no excuse not to have at least one band/orchestra teacher.

[Anonymous]

This surprises me. It might be worth your time to poll and see who does have an orchestra ensemble. I thought that most privates did have one. Now it also depends on whether you are talking about an orchestra ensemble (only strings) or a full symphony orchestra (strings, brass, woodwind, etc.) I doubt any privates do a full symphony orchestra due to #s, but I would guess most have an ensemble. Also, I love the "pit love" happening here! It is a really great and unique experience for a musician!

[Anonymous]

If they can field multiple sports teams every season, why can’t they have a small orchestra?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If they can field multiple sports teams every season, why can’t they have a small orchestra?

It's one thing to throw a kid with no prior experience into a cross country race; quite another to hand a 15YO a violin or bassoon for the first time and expect them to play with more experienced kids in an orchestra.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they can field multiple sports teams every season, why can’t they have a small orchestra?

It's one thing to throw a kid with no prior experience into a cross country race; quite another to hand a 15YO a violin or bassoon for the first time and expect them to play with more experienced kids in an orchestra.

Freshman football is often the first time a kid plays. They learn.

We have beginner band and the opportunity for kids who are experienced with one instrument to pick up another one. By the time these beginners are juniors/seniors they can play in a small school orchestra. Like jrs/srs playing varsity, having started football as freshmen.

Some schools just don’t value the arts as much as sports. It’s the common American sports obsession and athlete worship.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they can field multiple sports teams every season, why can’t they have a small orchestra?

It's one thing to throw a kid with no prior experience into a cross country race; quite another to hand a 15YO a violin or bassoon for the first time and expect them to play with more experienced kids in an orchestra.

Freshman football is often the first time a kid plays. They learn.

We have beginner band and the opportunity for kids who are experienced with one instrument to pick up another one. By the time these beginners are juniors/seniors they can play in a small school orchestra. Like jrs/srs playing varsity, having started football as freshmen.

Some schools just don’t value the arts as much as sports. It’s the common American sports obsession and athlete worship.

The skill differential between even a talented beginner in strings at 9th grade (*) and a relatively average kid that started at 3rd is very large, and by 9th grade, most of the relatively average kids have dropped out for something else. This makes it much, much trickier to handle an orchestra in a small school which doesn't have that many players to begin with. It really does require two tracks -- probably even three -- and that's quite difficult to support.

(*) Without unlikely levels of practice. I am thinking of one kid I know who picked up an instrument and started practicing two hours a day, and holy cow, did he rapidly git gud.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at larger schools like Flint Hill.

Flint Hill is not offering orchestra next year

s

Yes this is pathetic of FHS administration to cut orchestra without even consulting the parents. They decided this behind closed doors

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you’re in a state (VA, MD) with a regional/all-state orchestra program, then she can only audition for it if she participates in a school orchestra program. For some kids this is a pretty big deal, so maybe something to consider and ask about, especially since she already plays in a private orchestra.

Not true. My kid was not in orchestra one year and they were referred. We did not follow through but it’s possible but private orchestra conflicted.

It’s fine if your school doesn’t offer orchestra but ask about it on the school tour. It’s up to the music director to be support

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:School orchestras often aren't as good as outside orchestras. If you're already doing an outside orchestra, why do you need both?

Pit can be a very, very fun experience, and it teaches a different set of skills-- being flexible and attentive to what's on the stage, and coping with changes and the actors' mistakes in real time. I always enjoyed it. Music should be fun!

It's nice to play with your friends (or soon-to-be friends) from school. It's a good bonding experience -- in some ways, even better than school-based sports because the "team" is together the whole year long.