Scorch - Frequently Asked Questions
What is Scorch?
What school orchestras/string classes make up Scorch?
What are the audition requirements?
What does Scorch do?
What kind of tours/trips does Scorch attend?
I took a year (or two) off from strings class in middle school. Can I still get in?
I never learned how to play a stringed instrument. Can I still get in?
Will I get an automatic ‘A’ for showing up in this class?
I want to enroll in the Orchestra class, but there's another class during the same period that I absolutely must take in order to graduate. Can I still participate in Scorch activities without enrolling?
Is there an Honors Orchestra class?
How is the Honors Orchestra class graded? What would I have to do?
How do I get into the Honors Orchestra course?
How do I find out when upcoming Scorch activities/events are going to happen?
What is Remind101?
Something has come up, and I really cannot make it to a rehearsal or a concert. What do I need to do?
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- Scorch is the flagship high school orchestra for Kanawha County. It comprises every orchestra and strings class from every high school in Kanawha County that currently has one.
What school orchestras/string classes make up Scorch?
- Scorch is currently made up of the orchestra/strings classes from: Capital High School, George Washington High School, Herbert Hoover High School, and South Charleston High School.
What are the audition requirements?
- Scorch does not have entrance auditions, all* of those that sign up for the orchestra/strings class at any of the above schools will be admitted. Towards the beginning of the year (usually within the first week,) there will be seating auditions only, the exact content of which will be posted a couple weeks before the audition.
- ( * - It is generally expected that the student has had some kind of prior instruction on stringed instruments, preferably regularly attending strings class every year since the 4th grade. )
What does Scorch do?
- As a high school performing ensemble, Scorch plays in several concerts throughout the school year. Every year, we provide at least one public concert featuring just our orchestra, and every school orchestra that comprises it, in the form of a Spring or Fall concert. Scorch performs at the end of each year’s All-County Strings Festival in Charleston, WV. Additionally, we perform in conjunction with certain community events, such as providing pre-show events for the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra. Scorch is also a touring ensemble, and goes on at least two trips every year.
What kind of tours/trips does Scorch attend?
- Scorch is a regular participant in the WV Orchestra Festival, which is held in every May as part of the Strawberry Festival in Buckhannon, WV. Additionally, Scorch attends at least one other event (usually judged or competitive) almost every year. In the past, Scorch has gone to events in Louisville, KY; Williamsburg, VA; New York, NY; and Atlanta, GA.
I took a year (or two) off from strings class in middle school. Can I still get in?
- Yes, you are welcome to join Scorch. However, this class does assume all students has been in strings class every year since 4th grade, and you will have to work much harder than your peers in order to catch up with them.
I never learned how to play a stringed instrument. Can I still get in?
- Yes... but, you will be at a severe disadvantage. Playing a stringed instrument takes many years of dedicated study. At the high school level, it is assumed you’ve attended strings classes or lessons for every year since beginning in 4th grade. You would still be graded on that level on playing exams, even though you are just starting out.
- Unlike other students, taking lessons with a private teacher would be mandatory for your continued participation in the orchestra. Depending on your progress, you may be barred from attending certain performing opportunities, and especially with tours.
- If this is something you are absolutely positively serious about wanting to get involved with, then by all means sign up. There are a few rare cases where students have successfully taken up stringed instruments at such a late age. Just keep in mind that things will be very very very difficult for you, and you will need to put in many hours of work every day towards learning how to play at the high school level.
Will I get an automatic ‘A’ for showing up in this class?
- No, every high school level orchestra or strings class in Kanawha County is considered to be college preparatory, and you’ll be expected to earn your grade. Furthermore, as the flagship school orchestra representing Kanawha County to the rest of the state as well as the nation, expectations are high and you will be graded for how well you meet up with those expectations. If you wish to enroll in a class where you don’t have to actively work towards getting a good grade, please choose another one other than orchestra or strings.
- For a complete breakdown of orchestra class grading procedure, please read pages 5-9 in the Orchestra Handbook, found here.
I want to enroll in the Orchestra class, but there's another class during the same period that I absolutely must take in order to graduate. Can I still participate in Scorch activities without enrolling?
- I'm very sorry, but no.
Is there an Honors Orchestra class?
- Yes, there is an honors orchestra class. Just like all other honors-level courses, grades are weighted, but there are also more responsibilities placed on the student than with the standard orchestra class. A complete description of the Honors Orchestra class can be found on pages 7-9 in the Orchestra Handbook, which can be found here.
How is the Honors Orchestra class graded? What would I have to do?
- The Honors Orchestra class has its own separate grading procedure, which can be found here. In short, the same basic things that are expected in the Standard Orchestra also apply towards Honors. On top of that Honors Orchestra students must: Perform or audition with one of the WV Youth Symphony Ensembles, Participate in all performing opportunities that would have been voluntary for Standard Orchestra members (such as certain trips.), Participate in the WVU Honors Orchestra trip, Participate in WVMEA Solo and Ensemble (If selected for the Honors Recital during the WVMEA In-service Conference, they must participate in that as well,) Audition with the WVMEA High School All-State Orchestra (If they are accepted they must participate with this ensemble,) Write one critique per semester of professional concerts, and Record one solo of their choosing per semester.
- An official breakdown of Honors Orchestra expectancies can be found on pages 7-9 in the Orchestra Handbook, which can be found here.
How do I get into the Honors Orchestra course?
- After earning two consecutive 'A's per semester in the Standard Orchestra class, students interested in signing up for Honors should petition the director to be included starting in their second year. Students should state that they’ve reviewed all the grading criteria of the Honors class, and provide reasons why they should be included and would be successful in that class. The director will then review the petition, taking into account that student’s previous progress and aptitude, and make a recommendation to the school’s counselor over whether to move that student to Honors for the next year, or to keep that student in the regular orchestra class.
How do I find out when upcoming Scorch activities/events are going to happen?
- Please visit the Scorch calendar page on this website. It can be found here. This calendar is updated throughout the year when dates of events have been confirmed to the director. Any upcoming event that is not found on this calendar has still not been confirmed with the director yet.
What is Remind101?
- Remind101 is a service provided to teachers in order for them to safely broadcast text messages to their students and parents/guardians. The Scorch director uses this service in order to provide reminders about rehearsals, concerts, and any other Scorch activities, and to provide emergency updates (such as when a rehearsal needs to be cancelled due to inclement weather.) As such, it is highly recommended that all Scorch members and their parents/guardians sign up for this service.
- Instructions for subscribing (and unsubscribing) to this service can be found here.
Something has come up, and I really cannot make it to a rehearsal or a concert. What do I need to do?
- You will need to fill out the Excused Absence Request Form, found here. Please note that for rehearsals, this needs to be submitted at least one week in advance of the rehearsal. For concerts, this needs to be submitted at least two weeks in advance of the concert. This is required so that the legitimacy of the requests can be judged, and make-up work can be assigned. Submitting these forms after these deadlines, and not showing up to the rehearsal and/or concert will result in an unexcused absence.
- Also, just because a form was submitted doesn't automatically mean that the request will be granted. If the director doesn't grant permission for the student to be absent during a rehearsal and/or concert, and the student still does not show up, then it will result in an unexcused absence.
- Only in cases of medical or other like emergency will an absence without submitting the form be allowed. In these cases, a note from the doctor, or other kind of proof must be provided at the earliest possible time to the director.
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