It is no secret that the North Atlanta Philharmonic Orchestra is full of talent. From playing in the annual school musical to their upcoming performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, everyone is clamoring to hear their works. However, this year has been exceptional for the orchestra as they became the first school in all of Atlanta Public Schools’ history to be invited to the Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA). GMEA is an organization that serves as the music board for the entire state. Each year, they host a conference in which select orchestras are invited to perform. This year, North Atlanta’s orchestra had the honor of being asked to perform at the University of Georgia campus.
To reach this historic moment, months of preparation had to go into perfecting every note. The orchestra meets in class every other day and has rehearsals every Monday for an hour and a half. On top of this, mini-camps are held throughout the semester in order to best prepare all of the members. Leading up to the GMEA performance, the orchestra strived to reach its very best potential. To do this, guest conductors were brought in to coach the orchestra. Using school-provided grants, the orchestra members were able to learn from experts in music about the best performance techniques and what it actually takes to work in the music industry. North Atlanta violinist Addison Allvine described the intense practices leading up to the performances. Allvine said, “We practiced a lot, obviously, but I practiced even more outside of school to make sure everything was absolutely perfect.”
All the preparations definitely paid off as the day of the performance finally came. Junior violin player Christa Jenkins only had positive things to say about the experience. Although only there for one day, she described the opportunity as unforgettable. The orchestra was invited to perform in a beautiful chapel just outside the main conference hall for an audience of 200. While the initial nerves definitely got to the whole orchestra, the time immediately after the concert made all the stress and time spent worth it. As they performed, the NAHS orchestra was surrounded by friends and new faces alike. “The best part of the experience was how supportive everyone was,” Jenkin said, “After we performed, all of these strangers and former teachers of mine could not stop gushing about how amazing we did.”
The NAHS Philharmonic Orchestra is definitely a force to look out for as its talent continues to grow. If you see a member of the orchestra in passing, make sure to wish them luck on performing at the Kennedy Center and congratulate them on their historic invite to perform with other esteemed orchestras at GMEA!
