Orchestra is an excellent program at YLHS that is often not given enough credit. With Mr. Mortensen conducting, this program offers experience to all who join, from beginners to advanced players who want to exceed past their limits in the world of orchestra. There are varsity, junior varsity, and frosh/soph teams of Orchestra for students to audition for.

Orchestra is not an activity that you can just blow off, as it takes plentiful amounts of effort and dedication. For example, the Orchestra students have zero period practice and after school almost every single day for about two hours. Secondly, some of their practices start as early at 4:45 in the morning, when the sun hasn’t even come out. According to YLHS Arts, “it is crucial for the success of the orchestra to have 100% attendance at each and every performance.” This is highly enforced on all students of Orchestra with their season approaching us. Evidently, Orchestra is not just an art that slacks around, but an art that is dedicated, which is why they have won many awards and been invited to perform at extraordinary places.

Of course, some may think Orchestra may be a waste of time, but it actually enhances coordination, mathematical thinking, improves comprehension skills, and foster self-expression, according to Effective Music Teaching. So, Orchestra will actually help improve you in your education, not lessen it. Also, life long friends can be made because the Orchestra students are with each other probably more than their own families. Not only that, but you get to travel together, and experience all of the achievements together. Furthermore, Kristen Camarena (10), a fellow student on varsity orchestra voices, “It is a really uplifting environment because we all support each other and work as a team. We all share a passion for music and everyone’s participation is meaningful.” Overall, Orchestra is a spectacular program that is one of the many Arts YLHS has to offer.