"Music washes away from the soul, the dust of everyday life." - Auerbach
"Music washes away from the soul, the dust of everyday life." - Auerbach
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My name is Ms. Sara Duce. This will be my 26th year teaching orchestra at Greenfield Junior High. In orchestra, I hope that students will make friends, have fun playing music, and develop skills both as humans and as musicians. Music is FUN, music is SOCIAL, and through music one can develop many valuable LIFE SKILLS. I look forward to a wonderful year in orchestra!
I grew up in Mesa, playing viola! After high school I graduated with a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Arizona State University (Go Devils!) and later a Master of Music Education degree from Northern Arizona University. I am co-director of The Gilbert Town Fiddlers, a local fiddle group for middle school and high schoolers, and served on the District Master Capital Planning Committee as well as the Arizona Music Educators Executive Board as Secretary from 2022 - 2025.
In 2025, I was honored to receive the O.M. Hartsell Excellence in Teaching Music award from the Arizona Music Educators Association (AMEA) and a Music Teacher of Excellence award from the Country Music Association (CMA) Foundation.
Sara Duce, Orchestra DirectorEmail template: firstname.lastname@gilbertschools.net (Enter my first & last name in the template to contact me by email.)Phone: 480-813-1770 x1205
Hello! My name is Mrs. Basso and I am thrilled to be assisting the 7th Grade Orchestra this year (as well as the Director of Choirs at Greenfield Junior High School.) I earned my degree in Music with a Vocal Emphasis from Northern Arizona University, and I truly believe in the power of music to inspire, connect, and empower young minds.
Over the years, as a musician, I have been fortunate enough to learn from the brightest minds of music education. I sang alongside performers like Josh Groban, Sarah Brightman, The Real Group, Manhattan Transfer, and The New York Voices. I participated in the Grammy-nominated Sedona Academy of Chamber Singers and studied opera in Tuscany, Italy. I've even toured with multiple choirs across the United States. Outside of singing, I have played cello in symphonies all through-out my educational years and beyond with groups like Youth Symphony of the Southwest, Gilbert Town Fiddlers, and the Northern Arizona University Symphony.
When I’m not teaching, I enjoy a good book, play all sorts of games, road trip, and enjoy time with my family on my parents’ farm. I have a deep passion for music education and student growth and I’m looking forward to a year full of creativity, learning, and great music!
Our program includes the 7th Grade Orchestra, 8th Grade Orchestra and Advanced Ensemble. Each group performs at four concerts per year in the Gilbert High School Auditorium. The 7th Grade Orchestra takes a field trip in the spring and the 8th Grade Orchestra performs for judges at the state orchestra festival in the spring. If accepted, the 8th Grade Orchestra will also participate in the Disney Soundtrack Session in Anaheim, in April.
Advanced Ensemble is an auditioned class that focuses on performance skills not typically taught in the orchestra classroom, such as learning fiddle tunes by ear, memorizing music, stage presence, composing, arranging their own songs and lots of performances for the school and community. Auditions are held for 7th graders in January/February.
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