ORCHESTRA

In Orchestra, you will learn how to play an instrument from the STRING family . We believe that EVERY child can learn to play a stringed instrument and learn to play it well. Orchestra is for everyone!

Scroll down to learn about the different instruments, the orchestra teaching staff, and hear what stringed instruments sound like. 

Violin: smallest, highest-pitched, melody-playing, "fiddle"!

If you want to be a fiddle player, the violin is the instrument for you! The violin is the smallest instrument in the orchestra and you play it on your shoulder. Because of it's high pitch, the violin usually performs the melody.

Viola: medium, middle-pitched, harmony (usually), the violin's "cousin"!

If you like the idea of the violin but don't like high sounds, the viola might be the instrument for you! A "sweet spot" combination of the violin posture and cello strings, the viola is a perfect "goldilocks (just right!)" instrument. The viola is also played on the shoulder and usually plays the middle notes/harmony parts in the orchestra.

Cello: big, low-pitched, melody and harmony, "the human voice"!

CELLO! The cello is said to sound the most like the human voice. You play it sitting down, and the cello sometimes has the melody but more often plays the bass line in the orchestra.

Bass: HUGE, super-low pitched, the "backbone" of the orchestra!

It's all about 'dat bass! If you're a strong person with a strong sense of pulse, the bass is for you! Basses are so big that they need to be played standing up. They play very low notes!

***NOTE TO PARENTS: Cellos and Basses do NOT need to be transported to and from school...your child will have one to practice at home and ANOTHER to play at school.***

Click the button below to learn about how to get an instrument for orchestra!

Who are the orchestra teachers?

Ryan Erdmann teaches 5th and 6th grade orchestra at Silverbrook. He is from Appleton, WI and loves to play the bass. Besides teaching, he has a passion for composing and performing music. He is a huge NFL fan (go Packers!). 

Jason Furman assists our program at Silverbrook and the High School. He loves to play Scottish fiddle and bake bread. He spends time a lot of time coaching and playing hockey.

Jason Cicero teaches 7th and 8th grade orchestra at Badger. He is a guitarist and cellist, and likes reading fantasy novels. Ask him about the gummy bears in his classroom.

Mindara Krueger-Olson is our high school orchestra director. She is a phenomenal violin player and percussionist. She loves to study music from around the world, such as various forms of African Drumming and Mariachi music.

5 Reasons to Be in Orchestra: