About Us

The Upper Dublin High School Orchestra, under the direction of Mrs. Virginia Herrmann, is comprised of approximately 50 string and 30 winds/brass/percussion students, ranging from grades 9 to 12 in this academic curricular ensemble. The string students in the orchestra meet with daily Mrs. Herrmann in several small group classes each cycle--2 day, 3 day, or 5 day orchestra classes. In preparation for the winter, Music in Our Schools Month, and spring concerts, the entire symphony orchestra meets for enhancement classes, as well as two evening rehearsals prior to each of these concerts. The repertoire for this group consists of standard orchestral literature as well as symphonic arrangements of show tune medleys and film scores. For six years, the Upper Dublin Symphony orchestra participated as one of the featured groups at the annual Council Rock High School South Orchestra Festival Evening in May. Biannually, the orchestra has attended the High Note Festival at Dorney Park. The UDHS music department also travels biannually on three day trips abroad. We have traveled together to Chicago, Boston, Washington DC Area, San Francisco, and Disneyland in CA to experience musical, historical, and cultural opportunities for the orchestra, band, and chorus. For the past six years, the string orchestra has hosted and performed for our annual SOFA (String Orchestra Festival Adjudication) here at UDHS, and has received "Superior" ratings for all performances at this event. Several of the members of the orchestra have distinguished themselves with participation in our annual MCHSO (Montgomery County Honors String Orchestra), and/or qualified to participate in the PMEA Orchestra Festivals at the district, regional, and state levels.

A select group of about 35 strings are members of our co-curricular Sophisticated Strings ensemble. This group performs at about 25 events held in the Upper Dublin community throughout the school year. In 2007, our Sophisticated Strings were honored by selection to perform at the Annual PMEA Award Luncheon the at the Conference Center in Hershey, PA. In 2010, our UDHS String Quartet comprised of our principal strings was selected to perform at the PMEA Annual Conference sessions in Pittsburgh, PA. In 2014, our UDHS String Orchestra was selected to perform at the PMEA Annual Conference for a special session in Hershey, PA. Starting in 2013, the UDHS Sophisticated Strings and String Orchestra students instituted the hosting of an annual String Orchestra Festival Adjudication (SOFA) every February/March. SOFA has become a very successful and much anticipated event by area schools, and schools beyond Montgomery County, PA. Most recently, the UDHS String Orchestra was featured in a full concert performance on April 5, 2019 at the NAfME All Eastern & PMEA conferences in Pittsburgh PA.