HISTORY
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The First Colonial High School Chamber Orchestra: History
Under the direction of Ms. Marguerite Alley, the FCHS Chamber Orchestra was
founded in 1991. It was the first “by audition only” high school string
ensemble in Virginia Beach Public Schools. Since its inception, the ensemble
has performed at the highest level of difficulty in music and has received
superior scores and comments in adjudicated performances. The Chamber
Orchestra has performed at national and international music festivals in cities
including Toronto, New York, Myrtle Beach, Orlando, Atlanta, and New Orleans.
Graduates of the FC Chamber Orchestra have gone on to some of the most
prestigious collegiate ensembles, including the Penn State Symphony, the
Princeton Symphony, the Wake Forest Symphony, the Virginia Commonwealth
Symphony, the James Madison Symphony, the East Carolina Symphony,
Cleveland Institute of Music, Cincinnati Conservatory, and the Eastman School
of Music. As the string section of the FC Symphony, the Chamber Orchestra
traveled to New York in 2004 to make its Carnegie Hall debut.
The First Colonial High School Concert Orchestra: History
Also under the direction of Ms. Alley, the Concert Orchestra was founded in
1989. The orchestra program at First Colonial began that year with one
student! The following year, it grew to 9 members. By 1991, we had enough
students enrolled to actually go to an orchestra festival! That was our first
performance in level 5, with all superior scores. The following year, the concert
orchestra grew to 25 students, and has continued to grow ever since. In
2005, 40 members strong, the Concert Orchestra performed in level 6, the
highest level of difficulty.
The ensemble is open to any high school string player who has played for at
least 3 years.
Under the direction of Ms. Marguerite Alley, the FCHS Chamber Orchestra was
founded in 1991. It was the first “by audition only” high school string
ensemble in Virginia Beach Public Schools. Since its inception, the ensemble
has performed at the highest level of difficulty in music and has received
superior scores and comments in adjudicated performances. The Chamber
Orchestra has performed at national and international music festivals in cities
including Toronto, New York, Myrtle Beach, Orlando, Atlanta, and New Orleans.
Graduates of the FC Chamber Orchestra have gone on to some of the most
prestigious collegiate ensembles, including the Penn State Symphony, the
Princeton Symphony, the Wake Forest Symphony, the Virginia Commonwealth
Symphony, the James Madison Symphony, the East Carolina Symphony,
Cleveland Institute of Music, Cincinnati Conservatory, and the Eastman School
of Music. As the string section of the FC Symphony, the Chamber Orchestra
traveled to New York in 2004 to make its Carnegie Hall debut.
The First Colonial High School Concert Orchestra: History
Also under the direction of Ms. Alley, the Concert Orchestra was founded in
1989. The orchestra program at First Colonial began that year with one
student! The following year, it grew to 9 members. By 1991, we had enough
students enrolled to actually go to an orchestra festival! That was our first
performance in level 5, with all superior scores. The following year, the concert
orchestra grew to 25 students, and has continued to grow ever since. In
2005, 40 members strong, the Concert Orchestra performed in level 6, the
highest level of difficulty.
The ensemble is open to any high school string player who has played for at
least 3 years.
| For more information about the orchestra, or for information on the next audition date, contact the First Colonial High School Instrumental Music office at 757-496-6711, ext. 57450. |
