by Brigid Ehrmantraut

Nearly the entire Orcas Island High school strings class traveled to Lynden, Wash. for the annual San Juan Music Educators Association Honor Orchestra on Nov. 12.

Six out of nine members went. (Cellists Enzo Thixton and Anthony Kaskurs were ineligible, as they are in middle school; high schooler Winter Hyatt did not attend.) At least three people had been last year too. Participants from Orcas were: Brigid Ehrmantraut (viola), Jules Mann (second violin), Adrien Erickson (second violin), Cameron Smart (second violin), Susanne Meitzner (first violin), and Mackie Blackburn (first violin).

Our director Pamela Wright, who also directs middle school strings, fifth and sixth grade strings, and teaches K-4 general music at Orcas Island Public School, came with us to observe.

About fifty high schoolers from around the region were recommended by their teachers for Honor Orchestra. Music (most of it quite challenging!) was sent out a month or so in advance for participants to practice. Student musicians spent all of Saturday morning and early afternoon at Lynden Christian School refining and going over the music. Finally, they gave a brief concert. An Honor Band and an Honor Choir also performed. Unfortunately, we couldn’t stay through the entire concert because we had to catch a ferry. This year, Arthur Shaw of Western Washington University conducted the orchestra.

While the music was hard, it was a lot of fun and so was playing with so many other skilled people. It was also nice to have some parts of the orchestra that we don’t have in high school strings here, namely basses and large viola and cello sections.

Brigid Ehrmantraut is a ninth grader at Orcas School.