About the MHS Orchestra Program
MISSION STATEMENT
The McLean High School Orchestra Program seeks to develop individual musical artistry, ensemble excellence, and promote a life-long enjoyment of music in each young person. This important goal cannot be attained without a sincere desire, effort, and commitment from each orchestra member.
PHILOSOPHY
It is the special function of the arts to strengthen, extend, illuminate, transform and ultimately make life worth living. Art intensifies and draws together mere experience into aesthetic experience. When it is over, one feels a jolt or awakening in another world, not because the world of art is less real, but because it is more real, vivid, alive, highly integrated and structured than most of our daily experience. Throughout history, civilizations have turned to the arts for expression. Although some cultures have been found to exist without reading and writing, not one has been found without the arts. As a fine art, music is "feeling" intelligence. Musical intelligence is a unique dimension of every human being. It teaches people to feel and care and puts them in touch with some of the highest achievements of humankind. In other words, art music is part of what makes people well educated!
Playing a string instrument enables students to unlock some of the great stored wisdom of the ages. The majority of great Western art music was written for strings. This longstanding history includes the music of Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms, Mahler (and many others too numerous to list) plus works of great American composers such as Copland, Bernstein and others. String music is so prevalent that lifelong opportunities for playing string instruments abound. Community orchestras, sacred orchestras and amateur chamber music groups welcome capable string players. There is also a large field of opportunities for those interested in Pop, Jazz and Bluegrass or Country. For some individuals, playing a string instrument can become a very meaningful hobby well into their retirement years.
All children should be provided with opportunities to pursue their musical interests and talents. That is why every young person, without exception, should study music. While all students will not become professional musicians, all will be wholly human and wholly educated.
The McLean High School Orchestra Program seeks to develop individual musical artistry, ensemble excellence, and promote a life-long enjoyment of music in each young person. This important goal cannot be attained without a sincere desire, effort, and commitment from each orchestra member.
PHILOSOPHY
It is the special function of the arts to strengthen, extend, illuminate, transform and ultimately make life worth living. Art intensifies and draws together mere experience into aesthetic experience. When it is over, one feels a jolt or awakening in another world, not because the world of art is less real, but because it is more real, vivid, alive, highly integrated and structured than most of our daily experience. Throughout history, civilizations have turned to the arts for expression. Although some cultures have been found to exist without reading and writing, not one has been found without the arts. As a fine art, music is "feeling" intelligence. Musical intelligence is a unique dimension of every human being. It teaches people to feel and care and puts them in touch with some of the highest achievements of humankind. In other words, art music is part of what makes people well educated!
Playing a string instrument enables students to unlock some of the great stored wisdom of the ages. The majority of great Western art music was written for strings. This longstanding history includes the music of Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms, Mahler (and many others too numerous to list) plus works of great American composers such as Copland, Bernstein and others. String music is so prevalent that lifelong opportunities for playing string instruments abound. Community orchestras, sacred orchestras and amateur chamber music groups welcome capable string players. There is also a large field of opportunities for those interested in Pop, Jazz and Bluegrass or Country. For some individuals, playing a string instrument can become a very meaningful hobby well into their retirement years.
All children should be provided with opportunities to pursue their musical interests and talents. That is why every young person, without exception, should study music. While all students will not become professional musicians, all will be wholly human and wholly educated.