Event Info & Orchestra Schedule

UIL 

Philharmonic & Rhapsody Orchestras

The Region 24 Orchestra University Interscholastic League (UIL) Contest is quickly approaching! The contest involves a stage performance of three skill appropriate pieces that students rehearse in class, and a sight-reading portion. In the sight-reading room, students are given a new piece of music to learn in seven minutes. Directors use the seven minutes to rehearse and give instruction before the group is asked to perform the piece after the allotted time. Groups are then awarded by six judges a superior one, excellent two, average three, etc. at the end of the contest. This state contest is extremely important and should be taken very seriously by students as it is by directors, judges, and administrators. 

Date

Philharmonic - Tuesday, March 10, 2026

Rhapsody - Thursday, March 12, 2026

Location

Independence HS (Philharmonic) - 10555 Independence Pkwy, Frisco, TX 75035 

Rockhill HS (Rhapsody) -  16061 N Coit Rd, Frisco, TX 75035 

Timeline

Tuesday, March 10 - Philharmonic

(Students will miss 8th period)

8th period - rehearse in Orchestra room

3:30pm - Depart PHMS 

5:05pm - Stage Performance @ Independence HS

6:30pm - Return to PHMS

Thursday, March 12 - Rhapsody

(Students will miss Pride Time & 8th period)

Pride Time - rehearse in Orchestra room

1:55pm - Depart PHMS

3:35pm - Stage Performance @ Rock Hill HS

5:00pm - Return to PHMS

Attire

Black Concert Uniform 

(black polo, black dress pants, black dress socks, black dress shoes)

Cost

Free

Attending Students

Required Event - Philharmonic & Rhapsody Orchestra Students Only

Parent Attendance

Optional - parents may come to watch the performance, but please note that the concert will be recorded and judged (please no small children, phone disruptions, entering/exiting during performance times)

Permission Slip Linked Here

Frisco ISD Solo & Ensemble

Solo and Small Ensemble performance opportunities are a crucial component of a vibrant and robust instrumental music education.  As such, the Frisco ISD Fine Arts department has sought to create a mechanism for supporting this necessary skill.

Date

Saturday, April 11, 2026

Location

Lawler Middle School

Time

PERFORMANCE TIMES - TBA

Attire

Semi-Formal/Professional 

Cost

Solo $10/Ensemble $5/person 

(Each person in the ensemble pays $5)

February 23, 2026 - The district will begin accepting payment through Online School Fees

March 9, 2026 - Payment Deadline (this is a firm deadline set by the district - students that have not paid by this date will be removed from the contest)

What to Bring

• Original Music

• Copy of Music

• Stand (optional - to use in the warm-up area)

• Instrument & Bow

• Rosin

• Shoulder Rest (violin/viola)

• Rock Stop (cello/bass)

• Bass Stool (bass)

Attending Students

Optional event for all non-beginner middle school students enrolled in a Frisco ISD orchestra program. 

*Students who choose not to participate in the district event will perform their solo/ensemble for the class.

Solo & Ensemble Q&A

WHY this is important:

Solo and Small Ensemble performance opportunities are a crucial component of a vibrant and robust instrumental music education.  As such, the Frisco ISD Fine Arts department has sought to create a mechanism for supporting this necessary skill with the following considerations in mind:

1. Solo performance is a requisite skill in the TEKS (Literacy 3:C)

2. The ability to create this contest for the entire district makes this a more cost effective and educational experience for all Middle School orchestra students. 

The ability to provide an opportunity to demonstrate mastery of a skill while simultaneously receiving critical feedback from an expert in the field is both empowering and educationally significant.

The payment option is not appearing for my student in Online School Fees. If the payment option does not appear for your student by February 20th, this means that they did not sign up to perform for the event. Students that did not sign up to perform for the district event will be performing their prepared solo or ensemble piece for the class the week leading up to April 6th. 

My student signed up to perform for the contest, but has changed their mind/cannot attend the event. Do I still need to pay the fee? No, students that do not pay by the deadline will be removed from the contest. If your student originally signed up to perform for the contest and has now changed their mind/cannot attend the event, simply do not pay the fee and they will be removed from the event.

When will my student know their performance time? Performance times will be announced closer to the contest date. 

My student has a conflict in the morning/afternoon of April 5th. We paid the fee and would like to perform. Can we ask for a time preference? Mrs. Dixon is not in charge of creating the schedule, so she cannot guarantee a time preference, but we can ask. Email Mrs. Dixon dixonc@friscoisd.org

PHMS Orchestra Fall Concert

Date

May 5, 2026

Location

PHMS Cafeteria

Timeline

4:30pm-4:40pm - Beginning & Intermediate Orchestras arrive through front doors of PHMS

4:45pm - Beginning Orchestra - Seated on stage (Rehearsal)

5pm-5:45pm Concert: Harp, Beginning & Intermediate Orchestras 

**(Beginning and Intermediate Orchestra students are free to leave at 5:45pm or they may stay for the second half of the concert.)

INTERMISSION 

5:45pm - Advanced Orchestra - Seated on stage/Phil & Rhap waiting backstage

**(Advanced/Phil/Rhap students need to uncase, tune, and warm-up individually in the orchestra room prior to 5:45pm)

6:00pm Concert: Advanced, Philharmonic & Rhapsody Orchestras

ALL Students Need to Wear Concert Uniform: 

• Orchestra Black Polo

• Black Dress Pants (no skirts, no black leggings, no black jeans)

• Black Close-Toed Dress Shoes (no black tennis shoes)

• Black Dress Socks (tall enough to cover ankle skin when seated)

Cost

Free

Attending Students

 All Orchestra students - required attendance (concert grade)

Students Need to Bring

• Instrument (*Cello/Bass students will need to bring their home instruments. If their home instrument is severely out of tune, please have them bring their instrument on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday of the concert week to have it tuned. Severly out of tune instruments take a lot of time to tune and the strings need time to settled before performing.)

• Bow & Rosin

• Shoulder Rest (violin/viola)

• Rock Stop (cello/bass)

• Music (Beginning students do not need music)

• Uniform (if they are changing at school prior to the concert)

• Bass Stool (basses only)

Help Wanted

Parent Attendance/Chaperones

Please email Mrs. Dixon if you are willing to help to supervise students after the concert when they are in the orchestra room and hallways. 

Please invite all family and friends to support our students!

Concert Q&A

Can students stay after school? No, students need to leave campus at 3:45pm.

What should students enter when they come back to school in preparation for the concert? Students need to enter through the front entrance doors of the school and go to the Orchestra room to tune and warm-up. They need to be tuned, dressed, and seated with their instrument by their rehearsal time. *Advanced, Philharmonic & Rhapsody students should not be entering through the cafeteria doors to avoid disrupting the first half of the concert. 

What door should parents/families enter through? Cafeteria doors

Does my student need to stay for the entire concert? Students are only required to stay for the concert portion that they are performing in. Beginning & Intermediate Orchestra students are required to stay until 5:45pm. They are free to go during intermission or they may stay for the second half of the performance. 

Is my Advanced/Philharmonic/Rhapsody student required to be at the first half of the concert? No, however they are being asked to help tune and support their mentees who are performing. 

Is the concert required for students? Yes, the concert is a required performance and will be graded. 

What time will the concert be over? Approximately 6:45pm