About the Orchestras

What we do

Every Orchestra class at Whitney Young is based on the philosophy that the aesthetic experience is at the heart of the motivation of artists and performers and this experience is what perpetuates humanity. It is an entirely flawed philosophy for it is based upon a fundamentally un-provable premise: the hocus-pocus aesthetic experience. But, as so many musicians reference this experience as being the motivating factor behind their musicing, we must proceed on faith that such an experience exists.

Furthermore, knowledge, skill, hard work, teamwork, and talent are tools that enhance, bring clarity, and reproductability to the aesthetic experience. As such, technique development, history, composition, theory and cultural perspectives permeate the curriculum while the classroom environment is dedicated to building esprit du corps through an intense commitment to excellent performance. Every ensemble, regardless of ability, works to achieve excellence. Even students in the Beginning Orchestra play beautifully for the aesthetic experience does not require complexity, so it is within reach for every student.