Students at Ridgeline High School have a fresh take on whether it’s worth signing up for one of their orchestra classes next year. 

Ridgeline’s Orchestra can be defined as a group of talented musicians playing instruments together for a common goal: creating good music. Emily Willis says, “It’s like playing music with your soul, but with other people”. Emily highly suggests that anyone interested in playing a string instrument try out for the orchestra class, because it’s extremely fun and they will have a better understanding of how to handle the instrument and produce a nice sound. Emily played orchestra in middle school and had a blast, but didn’t play it her freshman year at Ridgeline and she regrets it, because she missed being a part of a unified group that feels like one big family.

Another student, Riley Chugg, who is a freshman, says that everyone in the orchestra is so nice and “works together, and [they] don’t argue much but they act like siblings.” Riley has been playing since the fourth grade and has some advice for newcomers. “Keep going! It gets better. The first few years are the worst, because you’re just learning how to play [your instrument],” she says. 

Ridgeline’s conductor/teacher, John Findlay, has directed 2 concerts for the orchestra this school year, one for each trimester. The orchestra even has the fun opportunity to go to Disneyland this Spring. Ridgeline High School has various levels of orchestra classes for anyone who is interested in joining the orchestra next year.