By reputation, Stillwater Area High School's orchestra program is one of the best in the nation. Find out for yourself what makes them sound so incredible, with their rendition of Carl Bohm's Madrigale.
Tune-in Tuesday, Jan. 8 in the 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. hours to hear this breath-taking piece live on KSJN 99.5 Classical MPR in the Twin Cities and our entire state-wide network.
About the Stillwater Area High School Orchestra program
Stillwater, Minnesota is located just east of the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area along the banks of the beautiful St. Croix River. The Stillwater Area High School includes students not only from Stillwater, but also from the communities of Lake Elmo, Woodbury, Lakeland, Afton, Oak Park Heights, Bayport, and Marine.
The history of the orchestra program dates back to 1918. In 1925, the Stillwater High School Orchestra was comprised of six violins, one piano, one xylophone, one banjo, two cornets, and one drummer. The group played for the daily high school chapel services and performed every Monday and Wednesday during the student lunch break.
Over the course of the past 25 years, the Stillwater Orchestra Program has gained a statewide and national reputation for excellence. In 1993, it was selected as the Meritorious Orchestra Program by the Minnesota chapter of the American String Teachers Association. The orchestra has performed for numerous state and national music conventions. In 2000, the Stillwater School District was included in the Best 100 Communities for Music Education in America.
Today, the orchestra program is comprised of beginning string programs starting in 5th grade in 10 elementary schools, 3 orchestras in each of the two junior high schools, and 4 orchestras at the high school. The total number of string instrumental students involved in the entire Stillwater Area School district is just under a thousand. The two junior high school Orchestras — Oakland Junior High led by Julie Vanderstappen, and Stillwater Junior High led by Kent Musser — have consistently earned berths in Tier Two of the MNSOTA Jr. High/Middle School Orchestra contest. All four orchestras at Stillwater Area High School have consistently earned superior ratings at the MSHSL State Large Group Contests. Our elementary string instructors are Dr. Marla Okner, Lisa St. Ores, and Cassandra Harrold.
What makes the Stillwater Orchestra program special? Two things: high quality instruction and community support. Our string teachers are the best of the best, and the Stillwater community has come to expect a level of quality that is unmatched. It is in this spirit that Century College, thus recognizing a collegiate level of performance, grants college credit to all juniors and seniors in the Stillwater Concert Orchestra as a CIS — College in the Schools course. The Stillwater Choir and the Stillwater Concert Wind Symphony have also been given this accreditation.
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