Important Dates and Times!
Mon,9/28 (7:30 pm): Monster Concert planning meeting (virtual) (details below)
Wed, 9/30: Deadline to pay yearly orchestra fee and instrument rental (details below)
Sat, 10/3 (11:59pm): Deadline to sign up for Orchestra social at House of Torment
Sat, 10/3 (1-5 pm): Region auditions at Bowie High School (details below)
Wed, 10/7 (7:20 am): Early practice for ALL students in the orchestra room
Wed, 10/14 (7:20 am): Early practice for ALL students in the orchestra room
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)
Helpful Links and Info
Monster Concert Planning Meeting
The next meeting to help us prepare and plan for Monster Concert is scheduled for Monday, September 28th, at 7:30 pm. It will be held virtually and all are invited to attend! Please see the link from the Cuttime newsletter.
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.
Orchestra Fees and Instrument Rental
The deadline to pay the $150 fee and $60 instrument rental is September 30th. If a student needs help with these expenses, you may apply for a scholarship.
More information (including payment information)
Dallas Orchestra Trip
Our Dallas orchestra trip this past weekend was a great success and fun was had by all! A special thank you to Crystal McQueeney for organizing the trip and putting together a fun filled itinerary! Thank you to Jennifer Pac for arranging the masterclass at UT Arlington.
We are also grateful for our chaperones – Toni Warren, June Mancillas, Sarah Leder, Francisca Garcia Acosta, and Maria Larios – for their time and support!
All-City Orchestra
The All-City Concert was held on September 24th at the Austin ISD PAC. We are so proud of the students who represented Austin High: Hazel Hunter, Makeda Garcia, Malaya Saubon, Everett Reyes, Leo Tagle, Jonah Wheeler, Kenli Kay-Romero, and Clementine Kennedy.
They played a fabulous performance! A special shout-out to Makeda Garcia who organized and became responsible for the All-City group in Ms. Solis’ absence and to Cormac Lewis and Calie Tovar who went above and beyond!
Region Auditions
Region auditions are taking place on Saturday, October 3rd, at 1:00 pm at Bowie High School. Students are scheduled to be done by 5:00 pm. However, students should plan to be there the entire time so they are not disqualified!
Orchestra Social Trip to House of Torment
Our Fall Orchestra Social is a trip to House of Torment after school on Friday, October 16th. Come join your friends for some Halloween fun! Students should plan to stay after school and have dinner. Students will then be transported to the House of Torment for arrival time between 6:30-6:45 pm. The price per student is $35 and ticket purchases end at 11:59 pm on Saturday, October 3rd. Permission slips will need to be signed by parents. Tickets can be purchased at this link!
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. Register for a specific show date and time! Times are 5:00-7:00 pm. Dates include 10/22, 12/10, 2/25, all on a Thursday.
Los Angeles Spring Trip (UPDATE)
Unfortunately, we have made the difficult decision to cancel our Los Angeles trip. Stay tuned, a new spring trip is already in the works!
Private Lessons
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
