Our Ensembles

Beginning Orchestra

Required choice for 9th grade | No Audition

First level of orchestra (developing + intermediate students). This orchestra will focus on technique, specifically posture and tone production. Students will build foundations for shifting through scales and etudes studies in addition to gaining musicianship skills through ensemble rehearsal and performance. Students will demonstrate understanding of basic music concepts and terminology while learning and performing grade 2-4 Orchestral literature. Students will master 1- 2 octave scales and strengthen sight reading skills.

Concert Orchestra

Grades 10-12 | No Audition

Second level orchestra (intermediate + accomplished students). Composed of students from grades 10-12 that have taken at least one semester of beginning orchestra. Students in this group will continue to strengthen their shifting and intonation through orchestral literature with higher difficulty ratings. Musical concepts of harmony, rhythm and blending of sounds are studied more in depth and are more prominent in repertoire. The ability to master and demonstrate 2-3 octave scales, both major and minor as well as gain confidence in sight reading are reflected in this group.

Sinfonietta

Grades 10-12 | Audition Required

Highest level of orchestra (accomplished + advanced students). Composed of students from grades 10-12 that have met the audition requirements. Students in this group perform grade 4-6, with music that requires a mature understanding of musical expression and technical skills. This orchestra, intended for the more serious student, builds on previous orchestral ensemble playing. Students must demonstrate ability to perform 3 octave scales, major and minor, higher level literature, confidence in sight reading and the constant use of vibrato and shifting in their performances.

Orchestra Director

Ms. Hanna Fishastion

Hanna Fishastion (fiss-OUGHT-see-uhn) is the Director of Orchestras at Pinecrest High School in Moore County, North Carolina. She earned her Bachelor of Music in Music Education with a concentration in Instrumental Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Ms. Fishastion has worked with young musicians through private instruction, sectional coaching, youth orchestra programs, and summer music camps. She has coached sectionals for the NC ASTA All-State Orchestra Clinic and the Greensboro Symphony Youth Orchestra and is passionate about helping students develop both technical skills and a lifelong love of music.

An active performer, Ms. Fishastion performs with the Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra and has enjoyed participating in the Moore Philharmonic Orchestra. She has also appeared with regional ensembles including the Fayetteville Symphony, Salisbury Symphony, and Opera Wilmington. A passionate chamber musician, she has performed throughout North Carolina in artist residencies, educational outreach tours, community concerts, and at events such as the North Carolina Folk Festival.

Ms. Fishastion is a member of the North Carolina Music Educators Association (NCMEA) and the American String Teachers Association (ASTA). She is dedicated to creating an inclusive and engaging orchestra program where students can develop confidence, leadership, and community.

In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and her tuxedo cat, Momo.

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