Though freshman Breanne Morrow’s second period class is a music class that is taught in the band room, it isn’t any variety of band—in fact, it’s a class that the majority of PHS probably hasn’t even heard of.

For most students, the thought of school music programs involves little other than Marching Band, Concert Band, Jazz Band and Choir. The idea of another music program separate from the aforementioned collection is an absurd proposition to most. However, there also exists a relatively small but skilled Orchestra that receives little mention in comparison to the rest of PHS’s collection of music courses.
Sometime in the near future, the orchestra will be performing in a holiday concert with the band on a yet to be determined date. Additionally, a concert is going to be performed at Miller’s Merry Manor sometime soon.
The class currently meets during one trimester—the first. There are seven violinists—senior Kayla Arriaga, junior Matthew Libersky, sophomore Matt Scutchfield, sophomore Haven Winkler, junior Elizabeth Wolford, senior Hannah Eads, and freshman Breanne Morrow. Additionally, the viola and cello sections have one member each—freshman April Bowen and senior Cameron Pifer, respectively.
The violins are usually further divided into two sections, though this varies with each song. Sometimes, quintets (groups of five) are given a specific song to work on and perform alone as a smaller group.
The typical 70 minute period consists both of rehearsal and individual practice, but this varies based on the “performances and events that are [coming up]”, Morrow said.
The Orchestra’s most recent performance was during a luncheon that teachers were invited to attend. During this luncheon, lunch was provided to the teachers as they listened to a variety of pieces played by the orchestra: to name a few, “Danza Hellenica,” “Henry Purcell Suite,” and “A Place in the Heart.”
Most of the members of the Orchestra—Morrow and Arriaga for instance—started their career in string instruments participating in a non-school-sponsored community program known as the Plymouth Community Youth Orchestra—PCYO for short—around fourth grade. Arriaga also took private lessons before.
Morrow started playing the violin in the summer of 4th grade in PCYO; the violin because it was the “first string instrument I learned about,” Morrow said. Currently, she only plays in the school orchestra, though she played in PCYO up until this year.
Though string instruments have the reputation of being some of the hardest instruments to master, Morrow said that over the years she has found playing her instrument to get easier and easier in general. She still finds tough areas while playing—for instance, “learning new rhythms  can [still] be frustrating.”
Arriaga said that shifting finger positions and playing with others who may not be playing at the correct speed remain difficult  for her. “I do not think it is easy,” Arriaga said. “It is something you need to practice and get good at.”