I learned a lot about winds, got new ideas for rehearsal strategies and enjoyed going to contest for the first time in eleven years of teaching. We performed at a dance recital one month after contest, and accompanied one of their selections. Most of my students had never seen their friends in the dance department perform, and they were captivated by the quality of their work. The feeling was reciprocated for the orchestra performance. We received many compliments for that performance right up to the end of the school year.
Patience There are many problems common to every growing string program.
Limited faculty means that some teachers travel to as many as four schools daily. None of the buildings in Fort Bend had been designed with orchestra programs in mind, so we make do with band halls, choir rooms, cafeterias, auditorium stages, and regular classrooms. It is difficult to have a positive attitude under these circumstances, but such problems are normal. In our case, patience has been rewarded. As the district builds additional schools, each will include orchestra rehearsal space, office space, and storage.