Tri-City Prepares for Busy New Year

VICTORIA GAVIA
Copy Editor
For years, Tri-City Orchestra has brought musically talented students together to perform, practice and compete. These young people come from Alhambra, Mark Keppel and San Gabriel. This year, there is as large a group as ever with more than 60 students meeting every Monday and Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the AHS music room.
The teacher and coordinator of this program, Curtis Richardson, has dedicated years to the success of the students. He has even hand picked students coming from middle school orchestras or All-City Orchestra in order to further their achievement and expose them to a more involved music program. He has accompanied them on trips and performances.
In fact, this year Tri-City Orchestra will be going to San Diego for a weekend competition. They will also be performing at Disneyland in April. However, because of budget cuts, the students are currently involved in fundraising for transportation. They have been selling candy, decorations and other catalog items since Sept. 29. Any support is appreciated, according to freshman cellist Anissa Orozco, whose first impression of Tri-City has led her to want to stay with the program all through high school.
“[Tri-City] is more serious than the middle school programs and it’s more focused on music; we get to play more,” said Orozco. “I’m excited to be a part of it because we will get to play in different cities.”
The orchestra consists of violinist, violists, bassists and cellists, all of whom come to practice new music, perfect techniques and songs, learn about their instruments and gain skills.
Not to mention it is an opportunity to socialize and meet new people from different high schools.
Although Tri-City Orchestra is not aimed towards those who are just learning to play an instrument, it does serve as a possible goal to reach when considering an extracurricular activity that deals with music and performance.