News and Updates

Good-bye to Seniors/Class of 2019 – End of Year MIHS Orchestra Celebration

End of Year Banquet – May 31, 2019

Good-bye to our orchestra seniors – best of luck in your future endeavors!

5th to 8th Graders Finish off Year with Spring Concert

MIHS Chamber “A” takes 2nd place at Eastshore Solo & Ensemble, January 26

MIHS Orchestra debuts New Pieces in collaboration with Artist in Residence Spencer Arias

The MISD Orchestra’s 2019 Artist in Residence is Spencer Arias, composer and performer, who creates highly evocative music oftentimes represented by lived experiences and social commentary.

He collaborated with each of the High School orchestra classes during a series of workshops in March 2019 to create a unique Three Pieces for Orchestra, which premiered at the MIHS Spring Concert on May 14th. The work is anchored by a story developed by the Symphonic Orchestra about leaving a cave and seeing an ocean where a storm brews and then fades away into the landscape. This narrative is extended through the two other movements. The Philharmonic Orchestra came up with a pulse idea in which each instrument section has a chance to shine. The Chamber Orchestra focused its composition on the singular concept of “dissolve.

During the week of May 14th, Spencer also did digital composition workshops with IMS and 5th grade students.

The Artist in Residence program is funded by the Mercer Island Schools Foundation and the PTA, and with the support of Team O. Thank you!!!

5th Grade Curriculum Night – when first year orchestra students show off to parents and friends

Disney & Dessert – A Delicious Success – Team O’s only fundraiser of the year

61 MIHS Students go to Anaheim for a Performance Tour

Performing and competing around the country/world are part of a musician’s life. Every year, the MIHS students can opt in for a spring performance tour. The tour alternates on a 4 year basis: Mercer Island preschools/retirement centers, Vancouver Canada festival/retirement center, Mercer Island preschools/retirement centers, Anaheim festival/retirement center/Disney recording studio.

This year 61 students, accompanied by 6 chaperones, performed in Anaheim!

7th and 8th Grade Orchestra Performs at Seattle Center for Winterfest

Thank you to parent chaperone Pirouze Saghafi for photos!

Mercer Island High School Concerts, featuring Senior Soloists

Thank you Jay Na, as always, for your photography!

MIHS Full Symphonic OrThank you to our 2019 sponsors, parent and family donors, event sponsors, and Team O volunteers

2018-2019 Highlights Read More »

2017-2018 Highlights

Coaching in Action

Joe Gottesman, professional violist and chamber coach, instructs the MIHS Chamber Orchestra.

Coaches are working with students in all grades, from 5th to 12th, helping with sectionals (individual instrument coaching) and small and large ensembles. After all, there is only one Mrs. Miltun to go around! Thank you to parents for their donations that made this possible!

Artists in Residence

Thanks to two generous MI School Foundation/PTA grants, several artists shared their music and perspectives to orchestra students.
Top: Los Flacos, mariachi/Latin American folk band, former Seattle Symphony concertmaster Maria Larionoff
Bottom: New music composer Spencer Arias, SYSO Musical Director Stephen Radcliffe

Disney & Dessert

Team O’s only fundraiser of the year is a wonderful Sunday afternoon filled with Disney music, performers and audience in costume, and plenty of desserts! Thank you to all our sponsors, donors, volunteers, parent and student bakers, raffle ticket buyers, audience, and students! Photos by Jay Na

Mercer Island Music Festival

IMS 7th-8th Grade Orchestra performs at Seattle Center’s Winterfest

Rimsky-Korsakov Quartet from St. Petersburg, Russia Performs and Holds Master Class

On October 16, MIHS Orchestra was honored to host, thanks to MICA, the venerable Rimsky-Korsakov Quartet from St. Petersburg, Russia. The Quartet performed and then answered student questions during two blocks, and gave a master class after school (5 MIHS students played and were critiqued).

Concerts, Concerts, Concerts!

Talk about surround sound! The combined high school orchestra surrounded the audience to kick off the Fall Concert with Von Himmel Hoch by J.S. Bach.

District Orchestra Concert Night – March 15 featuring orchestra students from 5th grade through 12th grade. It was a full house and lots of beautiful music. Photos by Jay Na

The final two pieces featured Maria Larionoff, former Seattle Symphony Concertmaster, graduate of the Juilliard School, and founder of the prestigious American String Project. Maria led 4 workshop sessions with the Symphonic Orchestra, thanks to a generous MI Schools Foundation/MIHS PTA Artist in Residence grant. They performed Praeludium and Allegro (Fritz Kreisler) and Caprice Basque (Pablo de Sarasate arr. Chase).

Spring 2018 Performance Tour

Every year, MIHS orchestra students can join the spring performance tour which rotates on a 3 year cycle. This year, students toured Mercer Island, performing at Early Montessori Preschool, Island House and Aljoya House retirement communities. Students enjoyed a catered lunch midway at Lid Park.

Senior Soloists

In April of their junior year, advanced musician students are invited to apply to be featured as a senior soloist in an orchestral work of their choice. Each concert in their senior year, one or two soloists are featured and then acknowledged warmly by their peers.

MIHS Full Symphonic Orchestra goes to WWU for Clinic and Rehearsal (thank you, Mercer Island Community Fund!)

Thank you to parent chaperone Orna Samuelly for video!

Goodbye to our orchestra seniors! (at the MIHS end-of-year awards banquet)

Jared Liechty, bass player, built a beautiful bow storage cabinet, as his Eagle project. Thank you!

THANK YOU TO ALL THE PARENT DONORS AND VOLUNTEERS AND SUPPORTERS OF OUR ORCHESTRA STUDENTS!

THANK YOU TO OUR 2018 SPONSORS!

2017-2018 Highlights Read More »

2016-2017 Highlights

Concerts, Concerts and More Concerts!

Orchestra Begins at Home – Engaging 5th Grade Parents on Curriculum Night

Disney & Dessert – Team O’s Only Fun-draiser of the Year!

Enrichment Brings New Music Genres, Opportunities and Professional Musicians to Students

Coaching session with Chamber Orchestra, led by Allyson Kramer, founder of VIVACE!

Masterclass with MIHS orchestras, led by Maria Larionoff, former concertmaster and violinist

Violin Rocks! Geoffrey Castle leads workshops over 2 days with all classes, from 5th to 12th grades

A pioneer on the electric six-string violin who challenges people’s pre-conceived notions of what is possible on a violin, Geoffrey weaves old school R&B, funk, jazz, blues, and gospel with traditional Celtic melodies into his music. He performed for students, and talked about alternative paths in music for students, either as a performer or as a supplement to their professional career.

High School Orchestra Students go on Performance Tour, and Win BIG!

The Mercer Island High School Orchestra traveled to Vancouver, Canada to compete in the WorldStrides’ Heritage Festival and participate in orchestra clinics on-site as well at Western Washington University’s Music Department. The orchestra students came home with two of the top awards: Gold-First Place for a full orchestra in its school division and one of only 4 Adjudicator’s Awards, singling the orchestra out for tonality and interpretation. Additionally, Nathan Wacker, bass player and graduating senior, won the (only) Ovation Award for his dedication to his music, school and community.