Students are selected for one of two organizations within the orchestra program based on instrumentation and ability level. The String Ensemble performs intermediate level music and is dedicated to developing and enhancing the skills of string and piano musicians. The Symphony Orchestra is for the advanced string and piano player and performs traditional orchestra literature often utilizing the best wind and percussion players from the band program. String and piano students receive a weekly lesson in addition to their scheduled class. All string students in grade 5 through 12 participate in the annual American String Teachers Association Festival held in March.
Emphasis is on chamber music and solo performance with critique provided by guest clinicians.
Recent research has indicated that the study of music is extremely beneficial to students. With this, the arts have been written into federal law and acknowledged as a core subject. Locally, the State of New Jersey has also included the arts as part of the Core Curriculum and has developed Content Standards that will become a part of the High School Proficiency Test that all students must pass before graduating from high school. Students that take music in school, score an average of 60 points higher on the verbal portion of the SAT and 42 points higher on the math portion. There is a significant relationship between math achievement and music reading achievement.