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Stringing Together a Strong Orchestra Program

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In 2020, history was made here at Northville Public Schools by implementing orchestra.

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In 2020, history was made here at Northville Public Schools by implementing Orchestra. To me it's just that that's the coolest thing about music is that it has no limits. So I'm super excited that we blew down a door and brought in an orchestra program as well. The inaugural year only included 6th graders at both Middle Schools. The following year was 6th and 7th graders and now this year it's offered to 6th 7th and 8th graders. I'm very proud to be honest. It was really cool that I was in sixth grade right here at Meads when it started and I'm very lucky to be here playing in this Orchestra. Orchestra director Johanne Ray-Hepp says she loves seeing the smiles on her students faces knowing they now have a place to soar musically. I remember having a kid who plays sitar and a kid who played Hammer Dulcimer and you know there's lots of kids who play in garage bands, I just want them all to have a place in the public schools, they're all part of our community and I just feel like we should never shut a door on a kid who wants to play music. I feel like it's really fun because when I was like in Elementary school I didn't really see anybody who played like instruments like me, maybe like some people, most people played sports or like maybe occasionally piano but like when I came here to Orchestra like I see people wanting to try out the violin, cello, bass, viola and seeing that made me kind of feel happy. And the wheels are in motion for orchestra to be introduced next year at the High School. The plan is to have a year-to-year roll out and then next year we'll have it with the high school kids too but this year we're actually are Sinfonia our Advanced Orchestra is including high school kids too so we have a little bit of an inbetween year as far as that goes. And the students are excited to continue to grow with the program. I would love to continue it throughout high school and see all my friends, myself to improve on skills we need to improve on like vibrato, switching strings and a lot of things like that. It's really nice seeing everyone getting so much better. I'm actually really excited. My brother, who's a freshman in the high school, he couldn't do orchestra, he had to do choir but then when we found out there's going to be an orchestra next year when he's a sophomore, he said he would love to join and that would make him really happy. It's way too important not to have it. Having this orchestra can help express other kids what they feel and bring out their inner creativity. For Northville Public Schools, I'm Katie Rork, the District Communication Specialist.

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Stringing Together a Strong Orchestra Program

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