MONTGOMERY COUNTY HONORS STRING ORCHESTRA 2020

Upper Merion Area Middle School

Emily McGranahan, Host Director from Spring-Ford Area HS

, Guest Conductor

REHEARSAL & CONCERT INFO

Wednesday, September 23, 2020 @ 12:30pm to 4pm @ UMAMS--Depart @ 11:30AM

Tuesday, October 6, 2020 @ 12:30pm to 4pm @ UMAMS--Depart @ 11:30AM

Wednesday, October 21, 2020 @ 9:30AM-4:00PM @ UMAMS--Depart @ 8:30AM

Students must bring lunch for 10/21 rehearsal @ UMAMS

Thursday, November 5, 2020 @ 8AM to 11AM @ UMAMS--Depart @ 7:15AM

Friday, November 6, 2020 Dress Rehearsal 4PM @ UMAMS--Depart UDHS @ 3pm

Dinner @ 5:15pm, change to concert attire @ 6pm, then group photo--Concert 7:00PM @ UMAMS--family transports home.

PROGRAM

TBA

A professional company is coming to do an audio recording and to photograph our concert--you may order and pay for this at the concert as well as online @ http://www.amprds.com/Tickets are available for purchase at the door @ 6:30pm on the evening of the concert.

Montgomery County Honors String Orchestra Mission Statement--Inception 1999

“A Classic Opportunity”… Melia Bowie – Philadelphia Inquirer Suburban Staff

Upon hearing the Montgomery County Honors String Orchestra on November 6, 1999, Melia Bowie, Suburban staff of the Philadelphia Inquirer described the student performers as “the county’s top scholastic musicians (that) get a chance to shine among their peers.” The directors of the MCHSO are proud of the maiden voyage that the orchestra embarked upon in 1999—and now of its growth into a third season. Anyone that has attended the MCHSO concerts would agree that these festivals are a necessity in Montgomery County as a testimonial to the growth of the many fabulous string programs. The list below attests to the numerous benefits provided to the participants in the MCHSO.

• String instrumental programs are growing and improving rapidly in Montgomery County. These string students are in need of performance opportunities beyond their individual high school orchestras to challenge them musically and to advance their technical skills.

• MCHSO includes several students from each high school. While PMEA District, Region and All-State Orchestras provide worthwhile opportunities, a limited number of high school string players are selected to participate.

• Students are rehearsed five times over a period of six weeks to improve their performance. Most orchestra festivals are completed in a short three-day weekend.

• The students are exposed to the vast library of the string orchestra literature. Studying the repertoire specifically targeted for the string orchestra enables these students to further their knowledge of string pedagogy. Music from the string orchestra literature is rarely explored at other festivals. The literature performed is in its originally composed format, and often includes very recently composed works.

• Students in MCHSO are provided the opportunity to work with a university level string specialist on advanced technical and expressive aspects and of string playing.

• Performances of such an orchestra culturally enhance the communities of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

Administrators of Montgomery County High Schools are encouraged to include qualified string students of their schools in the MCHSO.

Sincerely--The Directors of the Montgomery County Honors String Orchestra