Welcome to the TOHS Orchestra !

There are 3 orchestra classes at TOHS:

Chamber Honors Orchestra

Camerata Orchestra

Concert Orchestra

Orchestra/Strings class performs as our Concert Orchestra and is an open enrollment class generally for 9th graders. There are some upper grade students based upon their scheduling. Most 9th grade orchestra students take this class. 

Camerata is an audition based class that is generally for 10th-12th grade. The instructor will email permission slips for the students eligible for this class. Students rejoining orchestra after a break will take this class as well, please contact Mr. Roberts at: broberts@conejousd.org

Chamber Honors is an audition based class for 10th-12th grade and a few excellent 9th grade students. If you are a 9th grade student who is interested please contact Mr. Roberts at: broberts@conejousd.org

 Benjamin Roberts, TOHS Orchestra Teacher

Benjamin Roberts is the Orchestra Teacher at Thousand Oaks High School and Redwood Middle School.

Mr. Roberts arrived at Thousand Oaks High School in 2016 and since that time the program has doubled in size and added a third orchestra. The Chamber Orchestra routinely wins Unanimous Superior at SCSBOA festival and performs professional level pieces most recently including Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Hoedown and Vivaldi's The Four Seasons. The orchestras also play arrangements of such popular tunes as Lord of the Rings, Interstellar and Howl's Moving Castle. Mr. Roberts secured a donation of over 20 instruments to the program with the goal of expanding access. In 2024 the Chamber Orchestra was selected through adjudication to play at the CMEA all state orchestra festival. The TOHS Orchestra with Mr. Roberts tries to foster a spirit in which everyone's contributions are valued and integrated in the whole of the experience. 

Mr. Roberts has a Master's degree in Music Performance on the Violin and played in professional symphonies for fifteen years. He is an aficionado of improvisatory traditions in music with many hundreds of professional performances in those genres.