Vero Beach High School Orchestra

1707 16th St Vero Beach, Florida  32960

                 The VBHS Orchestra is one of only two high school orchestras on the Treasure Coast of Florida and has been blessed with many talented and driven students.     

 

                 Orchestra became a part of the School District of Indian River County in 1999, at Oslo Middle School, under the leadership and vision of Mr. Tom Fritz and with the support of the district and administration and generous grants from the Ross Schumann Foundations. 

 

                 The Vero Beach High School Orchestra began in 2001, when the district hired its first full-time orchestra director, Matt Stott.  The orchestra began with six students in one class, taught in a converted wood shop in the Freshmen Learning Center.  In the six years since, the VBHS Orchestra has grown to more than one hundred string students plus the twenty-six winds, brass and percussion from the VBHS Symphonic Band who join to create the VBHS Symphony Orchestra. 

 

                 The orchestra has received ’Superior’ ratings at both district and state Music Performance Assessment, and they perform numerous times throughout the school year in the VBHS Performing Arts Center and in the community.  In the 2007-2008 school year, the orchestra provided more than fifty performances in Indian River County, through symphony and concert orchestra, small chamber performances, quartets, and soloists. 

 

                 In Spring of 2006, the orchestra took its first out-of-state trip, traveling to Chicago, Illinois for performance and cultural exchange.  In the Spring of 2008, they travelled to Washington, DC.        

 

                 In January of 2008, the Vero Beach High School Symphony Orchestra performed all four movements of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5.  This was the first time the orchestra performed a symphony in its entirety.  In 2009, the orchestra performed Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3, The “Eroica.”  A complete list of repertoire the orchestra has performed is available.  

 

                 The VBHS Orchestra performs a large amount of literature in the classical literature, but also enjoys studying music of different genres, showcasing many of them in their annual Vero Pops Concert. 

                

                 The orchestra has been able to thrive due to its gifted students, supportive administration, enthusiastic community, and encouraging parents. 

History