The HU Orchestra Strings Together the Howard Community

Auditions for the Spring semester were held in the first week of January for all string and wind instruments. Students who were chosen to be involved in the orchestra said they are “excited to perform collectively” for one of the first times since the pandemic’s aftermath.  

“We’ve been rehearsing since the beginning of the semester,” said Piper Menser, a viola player and senior sociology minor. “We have rehearsals every Saturday that are usually around three hours with a little break in between, just hammering out all the tough little spots and intonation. Things like that are how we make it good.” 

The Orchestra’s Community Players

While the HU Orchestra consists mostly of students, there are some members involved who fall under the category of “community players.” These are non-students who have joined the Orchestra for many different reasons, one of the most important being their connection to music.  

“They bring the benefit of their more years of experience,” said Macek, also a violinist for the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra. “Most of them have played and do play in other orchestras around town, so they have a certain familiarity with the music. I think it’s great to have a mix of ages in the group also.” 

For certain music majors, involvement in the orchestra is required for at least six semesters. In the case of some students such as Darren Roberts, a senior cello performance major, members will return to the orchestra outside of its required semesters.  

“I came back because my section also came back,” said Roberts. “Also, the orchestra is a full symphonic orchestra this semester, and that’s the first time since I’ve been here that we’ve had that.” 

Roberts explains that a full symphonic orchestra is important for putting together an ensemble and can create a powerful feeling for the musicians.  

“It’s exhilarating having the winds behind you, providing embellishments on what you’re doing,” he explained.  

The Rarity of Black Orchestra

For the Howard students in the HU Orchestra, this experience may be the first time they have played in a majority Black symphony orchestra. In 2023, The New York Times reported that Black players make up 2.4% of all orchestra players.  

“It’s good to be in a space where it’s Black musicians, especially in string section. That’s not something you see often,” says Menser about her experience with the orchestra. “In middle school, I was one of the only Black players there, so it’s just amazing to be surrounded by so many people like you with common interest that you weren’t exposed to in high school.”