Scullen Orch 8-HS Transition Information

Scullen MS Orchestra
8th Grade to HS Transition Information

This page has been created to help you navigate the requirements needed to transition from 8th grade to either Neuqua Valley or Waubonsie Valley High School next year.

Why should I consider staying in orchestra in High School when there are so many other courses I could take, and I don't think I want to become a 'professional musician'?

This video features an admission counselor from Northwestern University talking about why selective universities look for student commitment to the Arts as part of the admissions process. Worth 19 minutes of your time!

Click HERE for a synopsis of her talking points in presentation

For more music advocacy videos, navigate here: https://www.wvhsmusic.org/parent-booster-organizations.html or check out the links below:

https://www.bepartofthemusic.org/simhs/

https://www.americanscientist.org/article/the-argument-for-music-education

D204 Orchestra Classes & Flow

The natural flow of the music program in middle school in D204 uses the prior year of instruction as a pre-requisite.

6th Grade Orchestra ---> 7th Grade Orchestra
7th Grade Orchestra ---> 8th Grade Orchestra
8th Grade Orchestra ---> Concert Orchestra*

*ALL STUDENTS REGISTERING FOR HIGH SCHOOL ORCHESTRA SELECT "CONCERT ORCHESTRA", once placements have been made, the high school directors will separate students into the various different levels.

In high school, orchestra classes begin to split more by skill-level rather than grade-level.

Concert Orchestra - Freshman only. Natural progression for most students coming from 8th grade. No audition required.
Concert Strings - Freshman only. Accelerated curriculum for more skilled students - REQUIRES AUDITION AT NEUQUA... PLACEMENT AT WV.
Chamber Orchestra/Strings - Not a normal placement for freshman. Capstone level ensembles/ mostly sophomores, juniors and seniors - REQUIRES HIGH LEVEL AUDITION.

High School Orchestras at both schools...

Class Name & Grades

Concert Orchestra (9), Symphonic Orchestra (10-12)

Concert Strings (9), Symphonic Strings (10-12)

Chamber Strings (9-12), Chamber Orchestra (10-12)

WHAT IF I WANT TO STAY IN COMBO (Chorus and Orchestra)?

There is NO combo in high school. Choir is 1 elective. Orchestra is 1 elective. And, you only have 2 electives freshman year. So... you will have to DELAY YOUR LANGUAGE CLASS UNTIL SOPHOMORE YEAR.

Taking both orchestra and choir in high school is doable, but not super easy in the sense that you will be in both the orchestra and the choir program in high school. 2 teachers (one choir, one orchestra) and 1 technique teacher.

In our opinion, the right kind of person to do both orchestra and choir is the following person:

Someone who absolutely LOVES everything about orchestra and chorus
Someone who is ok with negotiating multiple deadlines and assignments
Someone who is wanting to maybe go into music or music education as a profession
Someone who is willing to take a few classes in the summer time if you continue with both orchestra and choir in your schedule (See the sample 4-year schedules below - there are a few examples of graduates who did both orchestra (or band) and choir for all 4 years)

HOW DO I KNOW IF I'M A BOTH ORCHESTRA AND CHOIR KIND OF PERSON?

Watch one of the WV Prism or NV Crystal concerts and see how you feel when you hear choirs sing. See how you feel when you watch orchestras play. If you feel equally thrilled and delighted by both, and you're willing to do the extra work to be in both, go for it! Otherwise, maybe consider one or the other - you might be able to add the other one back in sophomore or junior year, or take lesson or join a group outside of your high school to enjoy the other discipline.