Concerts brighten winter nights at Highland Park schools
February 6, 2012 8:04PM
Braeside School student Rebecca Shakhnis plays the violin Feb. 2 with her school's fourth-grade orchestra during the winter orchestra concert at Red Oak School. | Curtis Lehmkuhl~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: March 10, 2012 8:19AM
It’s winter orchestra concert season across North Shore School District 112 as four Highland Park schools showcased their musical talents last week and more concerts were scheduled this week.
The Lincoln and Ravinia Elementary fourth- and fifth-grade orchestras came together for a concert at Ravinia Feb. 1. Then, the Red Oak and Braeside orchestras put on a similar show the next night at Red Oak.
Elizabeth Duke, who has taught the orchestra classes at all four schools for the last five years, touted the musical progress her students have made, especially the fourth-graders who just picked up their instruments for the first time this school year.
“The program has really grown since I started here,” she explained. “We went from about 50 kids to nearly 150 now (combined among Lincoln, Red Oak, Ravinia and Braeside).”
Last Thursday night’s show featured at least 65 students, and 75 took stage the previous night.
“The fourth-graders have had only four months of lessons, and they have progressed from knowing nothing to performing several songs,” Duke said. “That’s impressive progress in a short period of time.”
The district’s orchestra program consists of two classroom sessions each week. There is a half-hour lesson once a week in small groups based of each instrument, and a 25-minute group rehearsal with all instruments performing together.
“They are able to learn a lot in that short period of time,” said Duke, adding that most of her students have been motivated to practice outside out school, too.
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