High School Honor Orchestra

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High School Honor Orchestra

The High School Honor Orchestra Festival brings together the best high school musicians in SVVSD for intensive music making, including the opportunity to rehearse with renowned guest conductors and artists and culminating in a public concert.

For the first time ever, we are proud to include a high school honor mariachi ensemble! Mariachi, a vibrant tradition of Mexican music, features violins, trumpets, guitars, vihuelas and guitarrónes. This ensemble will showcase our student musicians and the rich cultural heritage of our community.

Plan your visit

Date & Time: Wednesday, November 20, 2024 at 7:00 pm

Location: Longmont High School Auditorium: 1040 Sunset St., Longmont, CO 80501

Buy your Concert Tickets: https://www.vancoevents.com/us/CMJX

Harp Ensemble

Order of pieces are subject to change:

  • Baroque Fantasia – Stephanie Curcio
  • Rondolino – Stephen Dunstone
  • Spanish Dance – Enrique Granados arr. Bonnie Biggs

Dagny Dash, SCHS
Padraig Dinneen, SCHS
Jasper Kuester, LHS

Lucy Ouwenga, NHS
Violet Ouwenga, NHS

Mariachi Ensemble

Order of pieces are subject to change:

  • Las Perlitas – arr. Rodolfo Gonzalez
  • La Malagueña – arr. L.G. Sobrino
  • El Son de la Madrugada – arr. Plucking Mingus

Violin
Nayeli Cano, LHS
Yeneli Castillo, SHS
Lela Dickey, SHS
Cormac Easter, NHS
Jocelyn Escobar, LHS
Fernando Gurrola, SHS

Guitar
Amir Gonzales, LHS
Manuel Valdez, SHS

Guitarron
Julissa Enriquez, SHS

Trumpet
Connor Lindsay, LHS
Gabe Thorson, LHS

Vihuela
Audrey Prado King, SHS
Reyli Rico, SHS

Orchestra Ensemble

Order of pieces are subject to change:

  • Folk Tune & Fiddle Dance – Percy Fletcher
  • Russian Sailors’ Dance – Reinhold Glière arr. Merle J. Isaac
  • West Side Story – Leonard Bernstein arr. Jack Mason

Violin I
Eldon Budiman, SCHS
Hannah Crill, SCHS
Evan Green, NHS
Gavin Kim, SCHS
Zacheria Martinez Garfio, FHS
Carina McCall, LHS
Meira McCall, LHS
Lucas Menza, TPCA
Vida Robles Salas, MHS
Adam Wegner, LHS

Violin II
Nat Alegria, SCHS
Shanti Berman, SCHS
Nora Dukart, FHS
Winslow Gall, MHS
William Mathews, SHS
Josh Moore, FHS
Evyn Nelson, EHS
Frank Nicks, FHS
Emily Payne, NHS
Michael Vassilyev, NHS

Viola
Siobhan Chandrasekara, EHS
Makayla Curfman, LHS
Haley Eaton, FHS
Benjamin Gonzalez, FHS
Fernando Gurrola, SHS
Sarah Longenecker, SCHS
Micah Marshall, NHS
James Nichols, NHS
Gabriel Reed, MHS
Johnny Sanchez, SHS
Addison Schuck, MHS
Mary Skidmore, EHS
Michelle Smith, SCHS
Ian Springsteen, NHS
Finn Wootton, SCHS

Cello
Shea Archie, SHS
Titus Galloway, LHS
Emmanuel Gonzalez, FHS
Jacob Hodek, FHS
Zachery Johnson, NHS
Benjamin Kohn, SCHS
Ryan Larson, TPCA
Madalynn Maughon, EHS
Maya Mountain, MHS
Kaius Nelson, EHS
Hailey Pollard, FHS
Kayla Uemura, LHS
Keeva Walton, NHS
Isaac Wicks, NHS

Double Bass
Charlotte Castaneda, NHS
Andrew Delker, LHS
Bridget Dermody, SCHS
Peyton Weichel, MHS

Bassoon
Dominick Jellico, SCHS
Charles Meier, FHS

Clarinet
Kennah Brackett, NHS
Oliver Sitja Sichel, NHS

Alto Sax
Collin Toepfer, FHS
Charissa Vicente, MHS

Bari Sax
Ben Guarante, LHS

Tenor Sax
Jake Sawaguchi, LHS

Flute
Angela Tran, NHS
Annalise Von Hatten, LHS

Oboe
Ronja King, LHS
Liam Legg, SCHS

Horn
Addison Henson, MHS
Noah Holt, LHS
Joseph Lee, LHS
Lorielle Vincent, SCHS

Trumpet
Anthony Ivan, SCHS
Connor Lindsay, LHS
Gabe Thorson, LHS

Trombone
Claire Atteberry, SCHS
Rachel Noyes, FHS
Tristan Perry, LHS

Tuba
Zach Kaufman, SCHS

Timpani
T.J. Mogensen, FHS

Percussion
Mary Jane Cronin, LHS
Connor Neeson, LHS
Caleb Stevensen, EHS


Congratulations to all of our students for being selected to this year’s honor ensembles!


Harp Clinician – Rachel Starr Ellins
Rachel Starr Ellins playing the harp

Rachel Starr Ellins was the instructor of harp at Colorado State University (CSU) since 1996. She is the first call substitute/second harpist with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra in Denver and principal harpist with the Longmont Symphony Orchestra. She was the principal harpist of the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra from 1997 to 2005. Ms. Ellins received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Colorado, and her Master’s degree from the University of North Texas. Rachel studied for two summers at the Tanglewood Music Festival. She has appeared as a concerto soloist with the Longmont Symphony Orchestra, Timberline Symphony, the Greeley Chamber Orchestra, and the Rocky Mountain Symphony Orchestra, and has been a guest artist with the Loveland Friends of Chamber Music. She has been teaching harpists of all ages for over 20 years.

Orchestra Conductor – Cameron Law
Cameron Law head shot

Cameron Law is an award-winning educator, cellist, composer, and conductor. He retired in 2019 after 29 years as Director of Orchestras at Grand Junction High School and West Middle School, and he has also served as a music instructor at Colorado Mesa University. He is the co-principal cellist of the Grand Junction Symphony, was the cellist for Trio de las Americas, and performed for several seasons at the Crested Butte Summer Music Festival.

Mr. Law is in high demand as a clinician, guest conductor, and adjudicator, and has conducted all-state orchestras in Colorado and New Mexico as well as honor orchestras, festivals, and music camps throughout the country. His orchestras at Grand Junction High School performed six times at the Colorado Music Educators Association annual conference.

He has been the State President of the Colorado American String Teachers Association and was the Camp Director of the CASTA Middle School String Camp for 20 years. He has served on several advisory boards and, in 2002, was named the Colorado ASTA String Teacher of the Year. In 2020 he received the CASTA Lifetime Service Award, and in 2021 he was inducted into the Colorado Music Educators Association Hall of Fame. He is currently the String Editor for Grand Mesa Music as well as Ludwig Masters and Keiser Southern Music. His compositions and commissions have appeared on several state lists and have been performed at both the Midwest Conference and at National ASTA conventions.

Mr. Law spent many summers as the Program Director for the Road Scholar Program at the Aspen Music Festival. He holds music degrees from both Colorado State University and the University of Michigan. He has two grown children, a grandchild, and he and his terrier Patsy Cline enjoy all the outdoor activities Western Colorado has to offer.


Congratulations to all participating students, directors, guest clinicians and our site hosts for a successful event. Special thanks to all SVVS building and district administrators, especially Dr. Haddad, Chase McBride and Janay Bird, for supporting the Fine Arts.

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St. Vrain Valley Schools