2008-
Beginning of the Skyline Orchestra. 26 students. Excellent Rating with a score of 86 at Music in the Parks Festival, First Place in Division A, Overall High Scoring Orchestra.
2009-
Superior Rating with a score of 96 at Music in the Parks Festival, First Place in Division AA, Overall High Scoring Orchestra. Superior rating at MSBOA District 12 Band and Orchestra Festival at Skyline High School. Excellent rating at MSBOA State Band and Orchestra Festival at Dexter High School.
2010-
Superior Rating with a score of 93 at the Fiesta-Val Invitational in New York, First Place in Open Division, Outstanding Soloist Award to the Violin Sections. Superior rating at MSBOA District 12 Band and Orchestra Festival at Saline High School. Superior rating at MSBOA State Band and Orchestra Festival at Warren Woods High School.
2011-
First commissioned piece by Michael Hopkins. Superior Rating with a score of 94 at Music in the Parks Festival, First Place in Division A, Overall High Scoring Orchestra in Sandusky, OH. Superior rating at District 12 Band and Orchestra Festival at Pioneer High School. Orchestra Senior, Sarah Hiltner, received the National School Orchestra Award and Brian Chang received the Director's Award.
2012-
The Moxie Strings Artist in Residency. Excellent rating (II) at District 12 Band and Orchestra Festival for Philharmonic Orchestra. Superior rating (I) at District 12 Band and Orchestra Festival for Symphony Orchestra. 20 Superior (I) ratings and 3 Excellent (II) ratings at State Solo and Ensemble with all proficiency exams earning an A rating (scores 93-100). Superior rating (I) at MSBOA State Orchestra Festival for Symphony Orchestra. Score of 96 at Music in the Parks Festival earning the Skyline Orchestra a Superior rating (I), First Place in Division A, and Highest Overall Scoring Orchestra at the Festival. Orchestra Senior Karen Duan received the National School Orchestra Award and Carmen Flesher received the Director's Award.
2013-
Concert Orchestra was added as our intermediate orchestra. Superior rating (I) at District 12 Band and Orchestra Festival for Concert Orchestra in March. Superior rating (I) at District 12 Band and Orchestra Festival for Symphony Orchestra in March. 17 Superior (I) ratings and 9 Excellent (II) ratings at MSBOA State Solo and Ensemble Festival. All proficiency exams earned a passing score. Concert Orchestra received a 1 rating at Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association State Orchestra Festival in May. Symphony Orchestra received straight 1 ratings at Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association State Orchestra Festival. Members of Philharmonic, Concert, and Symphony Orchestra attending Music in the Parks Festival in Sandusky, OH and received a score of 94 out of 100. This score earned them a Superior rating, First Place in Division AA, and Overall Highest Scoring Orchestra at the Festival. Composer Annika Socolofsky came and did a composition clinic with with Philharmonic, Concert, and Symphony Orchestra on June 5th. Each orchestra wrote and short composition by the end of the hour. 2013-2014 Most Improved Musician-Taia Koker. 2013-2014 Most Outstanding Section Awards-Philharmonic Second Violins, Concert Second Violins, Symphony Violas. Shin Lee received the National School Orchestra Award and Matthew Utsunomiya received the Director's Award.
2014-
We dedicated the new grand piano at our Music and a Meal Performance of Saint-Saens Christmas Oratorio. Superior rating (I) at District 12 Band and Orchestra Festival by both Concert and Symphony Orchestra on February 28th. 24 Superior (I) ratings and 4 Excellent (II) ratings at MSBOA State Solo and Ensemble Festival at Chelsea High School in March. All proficiency exams earned a passing score. Concert Orchestra received an Excellent (II) rating at MSBOA State Orchestra Festival on May 2nd. Symphony Orchestra received straight Superior (I) ratings at MSBOA State Orchestra Festival held at Skyline High School on May 2nd. Members of Philharmonic, Concert, and Symphony Orchestra traveled to Los Angeles, CA over spring break in April to participate in the Forum Music Festival. They performed for two concert judges and were adjudicated using a national rubric. The orchestra received a score of 93 that earned them a Gold rating and placed them in the 10% of High School Orchestras nationwide. Elena Chambers was given an outstanding soloist award by the judges. The festival orchestra has been invited to perform in the Governors Invitational due to their Gold Rating and high score. Thanks to a Skyline Friends of the Arts grant the orchestra was able to participate in a Disney Instrumental Clinic were they learned about soundtrack recordings, the life of a studio musicianship, and the importance of sight reading. The orchestra recorded music to five Disney movies during their 90 minute clinic. 2014-2015 Most Improved Musician was awarded to Edward Broom. 2014-2015 Most Oustanding Section Awards-Philharmonic Second Violins, Concert Violas, Symphony First Violins. Chihiro Kakishima as awarded the National School Orchestra Award, Gean Almendras received the Director's Award, and Robert Taylor received the Quincy Jones Musicianship Award.
2015-
Superior rating (I) at District 12 Band and Orchestra Festival by Symphony Orchestra and an Excellent rating (II) by Concert Orchestra on March 5th. Symphony Orchestra received straight Superior (I) ratings at MSBOA State Orchestra Festival held at Skyline High School on May 2nd. 2015-2016 Most Improved Musician was awarded to Angela Solomon. 2015-2016 Most Oustanding Section Awards-Philharmonic First Violins, Concert Second Violins, Symphony Second Violins. Leah Borquez as awarded the National School Orchestra Award, Olvia Popp received the Director's Award, and Vishnu Kannan received the Quincy Jones Musicianship Award.
2016-
We embarked upon an exciting journey to do a side by side concert with the Ann Arbor Symphony. Our students enjoyed sectionals lead by Ann Arbor Symphony musicians and rehearsals lead by Ann Arbor Symphony director, Arie Lipsky. January 31st we performed with the Ann Arbor Symphony with our students sharing a stand with the professional musician. This was an incredible concert and a great experience for the Skyline students. Arie Lipsky served as our guest conductor for Orchestra Night leading the Symphony Orchestra in Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet. Elena Chambers, concertmaster, won the Michigan Pops Concerto Competition and will be their featured soloist in their April concert.
2017-
Superior rating (I) at District 12 Band and Orchestra Festival by Symphony and Concert Orchestra.
2018-Symphony Orchestra performed a collaborative concert with the Dexter Community Orchestra and Saline Chamber Orchestra in September. This was a great start to the school year and gave the students a chance to see how music can continue throughout your entire life. Janet Cannon came and spoke to the students about Viola de Gamba. Ms. Cannon did a collaborative project and performance in January with Philharmonic Orchestra at the Winter Concert. Superior rating (I) at District 12 Band and Orchestra Festival by Symphony and Concert Orchestra. Performed at Carnegie Hall and St. Paul’s the Apostle Church over Spring Break. Minke Lee was the first Concerto Competition winner and he performed with the Symphony Orchestra at our Spring Concert. We had a collaboration performance with Forsythe Middle School at our spring concert. Concert and 7th grade orchestra performed Star Wars together, Symphony and 8th grade orchestra performed Hungarian Dance No. 5 together, and all 7th and 8th grade Forsythe Orchestra along with Skyline Philharmonic, Concert, and Symphony Orchestra closed the performance with Game of Thrones. It was a very special evening.
2019--
Symphony Orchestra performed a collaborative concert with the Dexter Community Orchestra and Saline Chamber Orchestra in September. This was a great start to the school year and gave the students a chance to see how music can continue throughout your entire life. Janet Cannon came and spoke to the students about Viola de Gamba. Ms. Cannon did a collaborative project and performance in January with Philharmonic Orchestra at the Winter Concert. Symphony Orchestra performed Finlandia at Hill Auditorium for Orchestra Night. COVID pandemic hit and all remaining concerts for the year were cancelled.
2020-
COVIC pandemic has caused school to begin virtually. All performances were held virtual using UPbeat music software. Students participated in a virtual solo and ensemble festival held through MSBOA as well as virtual All-State Auditions. School returned to in person in May but our spring concert was held virtually for the safety of everyone.
2021-
School has returned to full time in person. We held our annual music and a meal fundraising performance in October outside with the addition of food trucks. Everyone enjoyed the chamber music and the new menu varieties. In December we held our annual VPAA benefit performance, revealed our new Skyline Performing Arts Center sign, and included Concert Orchestra for the first time at this performance. Symphony Orchestra and Skyline Choir performed a piece from each genre at this performance. Our winter concert was delayed to February due to many virtual learning days caused by snow and COVID. This was our first in person concert with Philharmonic Orchestra since the winter of 2019. Concert orchestra premiered their mandolin orchestra at this performance. Students participated in MSBOA all-state auditions and virtual District and State solo and ensemble events. We will be holding our final in person concert of the year on May 24th in the Skyline Performing Arts Center. Philharmonic Orchestra will be joined by a Mariachi group and Symphony orchestra will premier two new compositions and accompany our concerto winner, Kyle Foster.