Concert Orchestra performed at the University of Wisconsin-Superior’s Thorpe Langley Auditorium for Strings Day on Feb. 4. Alongside Concert Orchestra, the Superior Middle School 8th Grade Orchestra and the UWS Chamber Strings played tunes from movies like Star Wars, Moana, with additional songs heard in commercials. The performance started at 7:00 pm and provided the general public with entertainment during the middle of the week. 

Orchestra teacher Amy Eichers said that the combination of levels of experience is what makes Strings Day so special. Strings Day gives 8th grade students a preview of how Eichers conducts, how she teaches, and what they are going to walk into in high school. Not only that, but the day is a huge community builder. It shows that orchestra has a path from 6th grade all the way to college. 

“[The] 8th graders that come can see the growth they are going to make through high school,” Eichers said. “You can just hear and see the difference in the level of musicianship and the difficulty of the music, so it’s a pretty impressive concert in that respect”.

Middle school orchestra teacher Jenna Mattson thinks that the day can help the eighth graders stretch out of their comfort zone and to start playing pieces of more difficulty. 

“They discover they can play music more difficult than they imagined.” Mattson said, “when the eighth graders sit with the  Superior High School  and UWS students, the eighth graders get to learn from older students, which builds confidence and relationships, and lets them see what they will be able to accomplish when they are older, and the older students get to be role models and teachers, which is always fun and inspiring”. 

Eighth grader Paco Lei, who plays the cello in orchestra, thinks that performing with higher level orchestras helps when learning pieces.

“We can challenge ourselves, we can practice more, and practice harder pieces”,  Lei said.

Junior Abbey Watt plays the violin in the Concert Orchestra. Watt says that playing with all levels combined was overall a great experience.

“Getting to see where the eighth graders are, and getting to look up to the college students, overall is a really fun thing,”  Watt said.

Senior Gracie Heier also plays the violin and says that Strings Day is a great opportunity for all students in orchestra, to see where skills are now, and help prepare them for the next step.

“It helps prepare and inspire the eighth graders into continuing orchestra throughout high school. It also gives the high schoolers and UWS members leadership experience when having to support the younger players,”  Heier said.