The Pattonville High School orchestra is directed by Daniel Henderson. Class does not always meet in the classroom – sometimes it involves an out of town trip.
This year, the orchestra trip is to Nashville, Tenn., to participate in the Heritage Festival. The orchestra is also going with the choir this year. To help the students with the cost of the trip, the orchestra does fundraisers throughout the year. They sell Entertainment books, poinsettias, do car washes and also work with the fundraising company Century 21.
“We do them so that students can earn money for the trip, some are motivated and others are not,” Henderson said. Henderson also said that the POPS (Pattonville Orchestra Parents) does some fundraisers.
Besides money for travel, there is also a budget for the instruments in the classroom.
Instead of having to carry instruments to and from school, students are able to use school instruments during class.
“They have been purchased over the years a few at the time by a budget by the district,” Henderson said.
Asiah Allen, a senior who plays the cello in the concert orchestra, said the instruments are very nice to play with. While Allen praises the instruments, Sarah Perrin, a sophomore who plays cello in the Concert orchestra, is more critical about them.
“The school instruments are decent,” Perrin said. “Not the best in the world, but they work well for us.”
Henderson has been directing the Pattonville Orchestra for four years now. Last year’s trip was to Atlanta, Ga. The Honors (now Chamber) group got the highest rating of gold at the competition last year, while the Chamber (now Concert) got a silver rating. The trip was four days, Thursday to Sunday.
“I thought it could be longer, which means that I had a good time,” Matt Diller said. “I’m excited for this year’s trip to Nashville.”
All the orchestras get to go on the trip. There are three different orchestras that are split up into four different classes. The three different orchestras are String, Concert and Chamber. Chamber being the highest orchestra and String being the lowest orchestra.
Perrin said she likes orchestra because “I get to meet new people and play a cool instrument.”
The orchestra preforms five different local concerts throughout the year.
