Our Orchestra, under the direction of Mrs. Carole Banyas,
meets every Tuesday from 3:30 - 4:30 in the school music room.
The orchestra program at St. Albert begins with the Headstart Strings
in the second semester of third grade. At that time, a group of third graders
are offered the opportunity to begin study on a string instrument in a class
session during the school day. This group is ready to perform for the first
time at the Spring orchestra concert in May.
In the Fall of 4th grade, all students are invited to participate in the
program and begin lessons on a string instrument in a class during the school
day. Both 4th grade classes share their talents by playing in school for
their classmates
and others and also for their parents at the Christmas orchestra concert in
December. They often also perform at the St. Albert Festival of the Arts.
By the Spring of 4th grade, the Headstart class is ready for orchestra and
plays along with the group for a couple of songs at the Spring concert in May.
They are full fledged orchestra members during the summer session and all 5th
graders are members of the orchestra in the Fall.
The orchestra performs at 4 concerts per year in December, March, May and
August. The orchestra combines with the orchestras from St. Columbkille
School and Incarnate Word Academy to perform for their parents at evening
concerts held at one of the participating schools. The orchestra also plays
in the community at such places as Parmatown Mall and The Cuyahoga County
Fair. The combined orchestras also perform one concert each year for the
student body of one of the schools.
Our junior high students are encouraged to participate in area honors
orchestras such as the Baldwin Wallace Youth
Orchestra. All of our 7th and 8th grade string players have the
opportunity to participate in the Padua High School String Festival in the
Fall as well as the Ohio Music Education Association Solo and Ensemble
contest in the Spring. Our top 8th graders are recommended to the OMEA
District 4 Honors Orchestra Festival featuring the best string players from
all schools in northeast Ohio. These special opportunities keep our talented
older students interested in playing throughout the 8th grade and encourages
them to continue on in high school. Many of our graduating eighth graders go
on to receive music scholarships from area high schools.