Each year, Steinbrenner’s Orchestra program performs at the local and state level. This year, three students qualified from the Steinbrenner Orchestra to perform at the state level in the Florida Music Education Association (FMEA) Professional Learning Conference. The rehearsal and performance will take place January 8 through January 11 in Tampa.
The students who qualified for states have been playing for numerous years and have mastered the ability to play their instruments. To make it to the state level, there are a few requirements that need to be met. Andrea Szarowicz, the teacher in charge of orchestra at Steinbrenner explains, “Auditions for All State are more on the student’s drive to be their best, taking classroom techniques and transferring them into their basics, and executing high technicality with their private instructors” Each student has about a month to learn the tryout piece and record a sample to submit to the judges. “The requirements are that you have to play a scale or an adaptive scale and then you need to play two like you need to play an excerpt from a piece. And then finally, you have to sight read, eight measures.” said sophomore violinist and state qualifier Leah Wan. Everyone who made it to states has been playing for 7 or more years. Senior Carl Arnold, who has been playing the cello since he was 11 years old said that it was originally that his parents had forced him to start playing and that at first he didn’t enjoy it. But when he got into middle school, he joined the school orchestra and he said, “all of a sudden, it was like I wasn’t alone anymore.” This year will be his second year qualifying for All-State.
The process of being accepted to all states has been a goal of these students for a long time. Arnold stated that he even had to try out 3 times prior before eventually making it to All-State. The determination that these three students have separated them from the rest of the applicants. The three students who made the cut are “Leaders within the orchestra and they definitely deserved it based off of the amount of time they spend practicing and how good they play.” said fellow all-state qualifier Arnold. Working together to prepare for all-state has brought the students together through their passion for performing. “All state Orchestra is the highest audition orchestra that students enrolled in a Florida HS can achieve. On average 300-400 students per grade audition for 60 string spots in the 11-12 All State Orchestra and 9-10 All State Orchestra. These three students had a very solid etude, scale, and sight-reading exercise at their live audition.” explains Szarowicz.
Each Steinbrenner contestant said they were nervous about their upcoming stage performances but overall, they were all excited to perform at the next level. “I saw the incentives going there, you get to meet other like really talented players and you also get to be conducted by some of the best conductors from around the country, so I thought that was a really nice opportunity” Said Wan.
All state competitors have to play with the full orchestra including brass, wind and string instruments which creates a unique group of musicians. The performance should take about 20-30 minutes. “I think the competitors are all pretty good. Really good.” said qualifying junior violinist Andy Wu. All of Steinbrenner’s state qualifiers said they know they have some tough work ahead but are prepared to work with other advanced high school musicians.
