Orchestra
Goshen Orchestras
In Goshen, students generally begin their journey with the orchestra in the summer program before their fifth-grade year, meeting twice a week before or after school throughout their fifth-grade year. Students in the 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade orchestra each meet daily as a class. At the high school, we have three orchestra classes. Our Crimson Concert Orchestra is our freshman orchestra. The Philharmonic Orchestra is our ensemble for sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are not enrolled in the Symphonic Orchestra. Our Symphonic Orchestra is our top-performing orchestra at the high school and performs as a full orchestra in the second semester of the school year. We also provide students with several extra-curricular ensembles, such as our high school Camerata Chamber Orchestra and our GJHS & GHS String Jazz Ensembles.
The Goshen High School Symphonic Full Orchestra is a 16-time Indiana State School Music Association State Finalist. The Goshen Orchestras have received several other high honors over the years, including over twenty first-place middle school orchestra awards at the Music in the Parks festival, and many High School high honors at Heritage Festivals across the country. The orchestra even received a national ranking and performed at the World’s Fair in Chicago, IL, in 1933. We honor the traditions of the past as we continue to excel for the future.
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The Goshen Orchestra Boosters is a parent organization that exists to support the students and directors of the Goshen Orchestra by raising funds, providing service, and connecting orchestra parents with opportunities for increased involvement in the program.
The Goshen Orchestra Booster Organization meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 7:00 PM. Booster meetings are open to all parents of Goshen Orchestra students.
Come and see how you can help continue making the program great!
Orchestra Booster Officers
- Chad Russell, President
- Jeanette Post, Vice-President
- Samantha Meek, Treasurer
- Cara Jeeves, Secretary
- Members At-Large: Ryan & Lucy Gaffer, Berth Juarez-Areeola, and Karen Matney
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Crimson Concert Orchestra: The Crimson Concert Orchestra is for 9th-grade students continuing in orchestra who participated in 8th-grade orchestra the previous year. The Crimson Concert Orchestra continues to increase the demand for musicality while increasing the rigor of music as students move into the Goshen High School program. The Crimson Concert Orchestra meets during 3rd period of the high school schedule and performs in the Fall Orchestra Concert in October, the Sounds of the Season Orchestra Concert in December, the Contest Preview Night in March, the ISSMA HS Organizational Festival in April, and the Spring Orchestra Concert in May. Sean Patrick is the podium director of the Crimson Concert Orchestra. Jason Pfeifer and Rachel Pellerito assist this ensemble.
Philharmonic Orchestra: The Philharmonic Orchestra is an auditioned ensemble for students in grades 10-12 who are not enrolled in Symphonic Orchestra. The Philharmonic Orchestra meets 1st period of the high school schedule and performs in the Fall Orchestra Concert in October, the Sounds of the Season Orchestra Concert in December, the Contest Preview Night in March, the ISSMA HS Organizational Festival in April, and the Spring Orchestra Concert in May. Jason Pfeifer is the podium director of the Philharmonic Orchestra. Sean Patrick & assists this ensemble.
Symphonic String/Full Orchestra: The Symphonic Orchestra is the top performing orchestra at Goshen High School, consisting of students in grades 10-12 selected from a May audition process. The Symphonic Orchestra performs as a string orchestra in the Fall and incorporates winds and percussion for the Spring semester performances. This Orchestra is known to be among the finest in the state and performs professional-level literature. The Symphonic Orchestra meets 2nd period of the high school schedule and has a weekly Monday evening rehearsal starting in November. The Symphonic Orchestra performs in the Fall Orchestra Concert in October, the Sounds of the Season Orchestra Concert in December, the Contest Preview Night in March, the ISSMA HS Organizational State Qualification event in late April, and the Spring Orchestra Concert in May. Jason Pfeifer is the podium director of the Symphonic Orchestra; Sean Patrick & Rachel Pellerito assist this ensemble. Tom Cox is the wind and percussion assistant to the orchestra on Monday nights.
Chamber Ensembles: In the Goshen Orchestras, we affirm the importance of chamber music for our students both from an educational and practical standpoint. Chamber music encourages independent musicianship, demands music literacy, and fosters meaningful musical and social growth in students. The Goshen High School Orchestras have the highest level of participation in the ISSMA solo & ensemble of any string program in the region. We encourage students to continue working in these ensembles beyond the ISSMA event. The orchestra program has a standing ensemble, the Crimson Quartet, which generally performs professional-level literature and has participated in the Fischoff National Chamber Competition.
Red Wire Jazz Strings: The Goshen High School Red Wire Jazz String Ensemble was established in the 2013-2014 school year to offer students the opportunity to learn about jazz styles, history, improvisation, and performance. This is a volunteer ensemble that practices for an hour once a week before school (currently Wednesdays 7:30-8:45 am) from August to May. The ensemble performs at the ISSMA Jazz Festival in early March, as well as at other jazz festivals, community performances, or orchestra concerts. Sean Patrick directs this Ensemble.
Camerata Chamber Orchestra: The Camerata Chamber Orchestra is a string chamber ensemble of 15-22 students selected by director invitation. This ensemble prepares and performs the great string chamber music and can often be found performing in the community. The ensemble meets as a zero hour (before school) class, two days a week (currently Mondays & Thursdays 7:20-8:10 am). The Camerata Chamber Orchestra performs annually in the Fall Orchestra Concert in October, the Sounds of the Season Orchestra Concert in December, the ISSMA Solo & Ensemble event in early February, the Solo & Ensemble state event in late February, the ISSMA HS Organizational Event Festival in April, and the Spring Orchestra Concert in May. Jason Pfeifer coaches this ensemble.
Musical Pit Orchestra: The musical pit orchestra provides the music for the annual Goshen High School musical performances in March. The group is formed in late December and begins to rehearse in January. The musical pit instrumentation varies by the needs of the individual show, but players are from the Goshen Music Department. The Musical Pit Orchestra is led by Mr. Stephen Snyder.
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Allegro Orchestra: The Allegro Orchestra is for students continuing in orchestra who participated in 6th-grade orchestra the previous year. Allegro Orchestra focuses on building competency and understanding in intonation while incorporating shifting and vibrato techniques. Students will work to play musically as a group. This orchestra performs in the Fall Orchestra Concert in September, the Winter Orchestra Concert in December, at the ISSMA JME Organizational Festival in March, the Spring Orchestra Concert in May, and the Music in the Parks Festival in May. Sean Patrick is the podium director of the Allegro Orchestra. Rachel Pellerito and Jason Pfeifer assist this ensemble.
Vivace Orchestra: The Vivace Orchestra is for students continuing in orchestra who participated in Allegro Orchestra the previous year. Vivace Orchestra continues to hone intonation while maturing vibrato techniques, all while playing more challenging music. Additionally, we work for students to build an independent understanding of phrasing and musicianship. This orchestra performs in the Fall Orchestra Concert in September, the Winter Orchestra Concert in December, at the ISSMA JME Organizational Festival in March, the Spring Orchestra Concert in May, as well as performing on the elementary tour and at the Music in the Parks Festival in May. Sean Patrick is the podium director of the Vivace Orchestra. Jason Pfeifer and Rachel Pellerito assist this ensemble.
GJH Cadenza Orchestra: Goshen Junior High School’s Cadenza Orchestra is a volunteer group comprised of students ranging from eighteen months to three years of playing experience. Started in 2011, this ensemble rehearses after school for just 75 minutes a week starting in September. This ensemble focuses on jazz and pop styles as well as traditional orchestra music. Students work on understanding the style and articulation for different genres and get experience with improvisation. We also have a lot of fun and eat a lot of cookies. Sean Patrick is the director of this extracurricular ensemble.
Chamber Ensembles: In the Goshen Orchestras, we affirm the importance of chamber music for our students both from an educational and practical standpoint. Chamber music encourages independent musicianship, demands music literacy, and fosters meaningful musical and social growth in students. All 7th and 8th grade students participate in the "Chamber Unit," which takes place from late November and extending to early February. Students choose their groupings of 3 to 20 members of any instrumentation, though they are encouraged to choose standard instrumentation such as string quartets, violin quartets, string trios, etc. Students then spend a portion of class time over the next seven weeks working on a piece of music independently and with some teacher guidance. All ensembles participate in our "Chamber Assessments" in which an outside adjudicator comes into the school on the Tuesday before Solo & Ensemble, listens to the groups giving them feedback and suggestions for improvement. Most ensembles choose to participate in the ISSMA Solo & Ensemble event. Students can choose to remain in these ensembles beyond the chamber unit by arranging rehearsals outside of the school day.
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5th Grade Beginning Orchestra resumes for all 5th Grade Orchestra students in early September. 5th grade students will have orchestra three times a week; all students will have orchestra combined on Wednesdays from 3:00 – 3:50 PM. Violins will have violin-only instruction on Thursdays and Fridays from 3:00 – 3:50 PM. Violas and cellos will have instrument-specific classes on Mondays and Tuesdays from 3:00 – 3:50 PM (Students can be picked up at Goshen Intermediate School OR take the bus that travels from GIS to GJHS and then load buses to take them home with the GJHS students). The 5th Grade Orchestra performs at the December Winter Festival and May Spring Festival concerts.
6th Grade Prelude Orchestra: The sixth grade orchestra is for students continuing in orchestra who participated in the 5th grade All City Orchestra the previous year. 6th Grade Orchestra picks up where 5th Grade Orchestra left off, focusing on teaching literacy of notes on the C and E strings, more complex rhythmic patterns, building competency in tuning and the understanding of intonation, learning new and working on changes of hand positions, and beginning to develop musicianship. The sixth grade orchestra meets every day as a class during the school day and performs in the Fall Orchestra Concert in October, the Winter Orchestra Festival in December, at the ISSMA JME Organizational Festival in March, and the Spring Orchestra Festival in May. Rachel Pellerito is the podium director of the 6th Grade Orchestra. Sean Patrick and Molly James assist this ensemble.
GIS Chamber Orchestra: For 6th grade orchestra students looking for more playing time and an extra challenge, we offer an extra-curricular ensemble that meets Thursdays before school. This ensemble performs in most GIS Orchestra Concerts as well as the Solo & Ensemble event in late January.