Welcome

Orchestra Fees

Important Dates and Times!

Tue, 9/15 (7:30 pm): Orchestra Booster Meeting (details below)
Wed, 9/16 (7:15 am): Early practice for non-varsity orchestra in the Austin High PAC
Wed, 9/16 (8:00 am): Early practice for varsity and non-varsity orchestra in the Austin High PAC
Wed, 9/16 (6:30 pm): Fall orchestra concert at Austin High PAC
Fri, 9/18: Final remaining balance for Dallas trip due (details below)
Fri, 9/18 (4:45 pm): Orchestra fundraiser pizza reward party (details below)
Sat, 9/19: All-State viola audition workshop at Texas State (details below)
9/25-9/27: Orchestra trip to Dallas/Fort Worth (details below)
Sat, 9/26: Second All-State viola audition workshop at ACC Highland Campus (details below)
Wed, 9/30: Deadline to pay yearly orchestra fee and instrument rental (details below)
Fri, 10/16 (after school): Orchestra social at House of Torment (details below)
Sat, 10/24: Monster Concert at Austin High
1/14-1/18: Orchestra Spring Trip to Los Angeles (details below)

Register for Cut Time

If you have not yet registered with Cut Time, please use the following link to enter your personal information:
https://app.gocuttime.com/sr/TWEUL87R

The Austin High Orchestra Boosters use Cut Time to send weekly newsletters and share important program information. This year, Mrs. Heidi Gysan, Austin High Orchestra Booster Secretary, will send the weekly newsletter through Cut Time.

First Concert of the Year!

The first concert of the year is Wednesday, September 16th at 6:30 pm at the Austin High PAC. Students will be served a light dinner from 4:45-5:15 pm. Students will then get dressed with their orchestra uniforms from 5:15-5:45 and warm-up begins in the PAC at 5:45.

Orchestra Fundraiser Update (We Did It!)

A huge thank you to everyone who supported our Fall Fundraiser! Thanks to your incredible support, we raised a total of $22,641.41!

To celebrate, we’re throwing the promised Pizza Reward Party! Students, please join us on Friday, September 18th, 4:45 pm – 6:00 pm, in the Orchestra Room. Students, please let us know if you plan to attend using the link here! Come hungry and ready to celebrate!

AHS Orchestra Booster Board Meeting (All are Welcome to Attend)

The next Orchestra Booster Board Meeting is Tuesday, September 15th, from 7:30-8:30 pm. It will be held virtually and all are welcome to attend! Please see the Cuttime newsletter for the link.

Orchestra Fees and Instrument Rental

Please click on this link to the AISD website to pay your student’s $150 orchestra fee and $60 for instrument rental. This money goes to the school directly. Please look for the violin icon when making a payment.

Fees and the instrument rental can also be paid by check (include your student’s name in the memo line) made payable to “Austin High Orchestra.”

The deadline to pay the fee and instrument rental is September 30th. If a student needs help with these expenses, you may apply for a scholarship here.

Fees paid cover music for the whole year, orchestra performances, transportation for orchestra UIL and social events, contests fees, sectional coaches, clinicians, and other related items.

Uniform Requirements

Many dresses and pants need to be hemmed before our first concert on September 16th. If slacks or dresses are too long, please check uniforms out and take them home to be hemmed. Many dry cleaners and tailors provide this service. Uniforms can be checked out from the uniform room after school.

Dress hemlines should graze the floor or top of the foot when standing in concert shoes. Slacks hemlines should graze the top of the dress shoes in the front and sit at the top of the shoe heel in the back. High school kids are still growing so when in doubt, err on the longer side. Please ask that extra material not be cut or otherwise permanently altered to maintain maximum flexibility for future students.

Boys will need a white tux shirt. Boys and girls all need to wear black shoes!

For uniform questions, contact Tracy Harp (tracyoharp@gmail.com).

Orchestra Social Trip to House of Torment

Our Fall Orchestra Social is a trip to House of Torment after school on Friday, October 16th. We need to reserve a bus and make reservations at House of Torment right away, so let us know if you plan to attend. Please reply by Friday September 25th, 2026 using the link here!

Clinics to Help Prepare for Regions Auditions

A workshop for viola players is scheduled for Saturday, September 19th, at Texas State from 9:00 am – 6:00 pm. Please see the registration link here!

A second workshop for viola players is taking place on Saturday, September 26th at the ACC Highland Campus from 9:00 am- 5:00 pm. Please see this ACC flyer for additional information!

Volunteer Opportunities at Patton Elementary

Patton Elementary is looking for student volunteers to assist during certain evening music shows. Ten to fifteen students are needed and will earn two hours of volunteer time after they assist during a show. This is a great opportunity to earn volunteer hours while providing information about high school orchestra! Volunteers will assist classroom teachers with their students as they prepare and wait for their turn on stage. Please use this link to register for a specific show date and time!

Full details on the Fall Dallas Trip are coming soon-please stay tuned for this information!

Los Angeles Spring Trip

Video Tutorials to Help Students Prepare for Region Auditions

Here are the links to video tutorials that students should watch and use this summer to help them prepare for the Region Auditions.

Violin Tutorials:
https://ensembleblock.com/portal/tmea-2026-2027-orchestra-violinhttps://ensembleblock.com/portal/tmea-2026-2027-orchestra-violin

Viola Tutorials:
https://ensembleblock.com/portal/tmea-2026-2027-orchestra-viola

Cello Tutorials:
https://ensembleblock.com/portal/tmea-2026-2027-orchestra-cello

Bass Tutorials:
https://ensembleblock.com/portal/tmea-2026-2027-orchestra-string-bass

The private lessons offered by the instructors on this page are some of the most affordable you can find, and the instructors are wonderful. Please consider signing your child up. It can make a big difference in their progress, and how much they enjoy the orchestra program because of the confidence they develop. Payment for private lessons are made directly by parents to the private teacher and not the Austin High Orchestra.

Adult Orchestra Volunteers

The orchestra relies on adult volunteers for different events throughout the year. If you are interested in volunteering or know you will be volunteering in the orchestra room and helping students, please submit an application on the AISD Voly site. Also check out our volunteer webpage for additional info.

Get Messages Using Remind

Please make sure that you and your student(s) sign up to get important messages and reminders. To sign up for Remind, compose a text message to the number 81010.

Camerata Orchestra: @a2aa82
Philharmonic & Recital Orchestras: @g4kcfc2
Chamber Orchestra: @hh2949
Orchestra Parents: @hak8gd

Thank You to Our Sponsors!

Special thanks to the following sponsor

Our Platinum Sponsors
Coming soon!

Our Gold Sponsors
Coming soon!

And thank you to the many orchestra families who have given so generously.

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