Feeling the Rhythm of the Strings: Behind the Esperanza Orchestras

For the Esperanza Orchestra, it’s just another misty Thursday morning. Red and blue curtains on either side of the classroom hide the clouds just outside, and black curtains cover the back of the room. Director Matthew Fang stands in front of the black curtains on a podium above the members of the orchestra, conducting them through a rehearsal of their pieces.

“The class is in zero period, so it is before the rest of school starts,” said freshman Francesca Estrada. This class is Concert Orchestra, and it meets every other week to rehearse the music the students learn at home.

“[It’s] important that they also spend time practicing at home,” said Fang, who wants his students to come to class already knowing the basic notes from the music so he can make it more concert-ready. He wants the students to “put together the music at home”; he wants a healthy amount of practice time, just like any performing art would require.

“Practicing an hour a day is more than enough to get me through the class,” said Estrada. “[It’s] the same amount of homework as any other class.” This makes Orchestra easier to fit into a busier schedule, but there is still a degree of commitment that it needs.

Concert Orchestra is a combined group made up of String Orchestra and Sinfonia, and students can choose to be in either one; Sinfonia is a more advanced group, but String Orchestra is more of an entry-level group. If students want to be truly dedicated to Orchestra, they “had to be in orchestra before high school,” said Fang. Orchestra, to him, is “something that takes a long time to develop.”

Still, anyone can learn and develop their talents if they have the right mindset, and as long as they are willing to work with their group toward the common goal of performing for different concerts throughout the year. The orchestra’s upcoming concert, SCSBOA, is in March, and they come together to try and produce the best results for the show with each rehearsal.

For Fang, one of the biggest motivators for doing well in rehearsals is “the joy that comes with really hard work and seeing the fruits of my labor in concerts”. The orchestras work incredibly hard whenever they meet, and the passion Fang has for his orchestras is clear. Though students like to goof around sometimes, their positive feelings toward their performances and their music is obvious too.

“I love the fact that all of the hard work orchestra has put in can be presented to an audience for them to enjoy,” said Estrada, who admires the strength of every group to pull together and create art.

While Orchestra as a class is extremely music-based, as every student will detect, it is also an amazing place to build friendships, musical talent, and leadership skills.

Four year Sinfonia member Alex Arellano says that the best way to come out of your shell as a musician is to “[not] be unconfident. My potential as a player was limited because I had put those limitations on myself.”

He grew the most in orchestra when he realized that he wasn’t really as bad as he thought he was, and that could really be something stopping freshmen or new players wishing to go into orchestra. This is just something that all prospective musicians need to know: you’ll be a better player once you’re not so in you head about it.

This is what makes the Orchestra experience great for a lot of people, including Arellano, Estrada, and many others who share the same love for music.

“I wouldn’t say the class is easy since the music is difficult,” said Estrada on ‘easy-a’ seekers. She still, however, “would recommend this class to anyone interested.” It’s clearly a fun place to be with a teacher that cares about music, with a friendly environment that makes it even easier to learn.