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.

This is not true. My son is in a school too small for an orchestra; instead, he’s in concert band. He is in both regional and all-state this year. You do have to be participating in a school music program, but it doesn’t have to be orchestra.

Anonymous wrote: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.

I would amend this to say that SSSAS offers four Upper School ensembles: orchestra, wind ensemble, jazz ensemble and Pit band. The first three are classes that the kids take in school, while the pit band (which has been nominated for two Cappies the past two years) is an extracurricular band.

Yes it blows. Not a deal breaker, but the FHS administration made this decision suddenly, without any forewarning to families that orchestra was on the chopping block. They sent an email that it was a done deal, that they had to balance priorities and make sacrifices.

Meanwhile there are three other music programs—choir, percussion, and band—which likely draw away from orchestra.

Why do we pay this tuition? To have a bunch of sports teams and and other enrichment?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at larger schools like Flint Hill.

Flint Hill is not offering orchestra next year

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

Even with a school as big as FHS, it can be hard to generate enough numbers to support a program. Though I will say that, given the tuition you have to pay, that kind of blows.

My kids' very small school is in the process of ramping up an strings program, but to do that they've changed music class for all elementary school students to strings, which should ensure a big enough pipeline once they re-introduce a few more options at middle & high school.