The Wando Honors Orchestra was selected to present music Feb. 4 at the South Carolina Music Educators Association (SCMEA) Conference in Columbia.
“To be accepted to perform you have to send in a recording,” Orchestra Program Director Ryan Silvestri said. “It was the largest pool of applicants to perform they’ve had in recent history. They were one of a few groups selected to perform.”
This was the first time the orchestra presented music at the conference, giving the group a chance to perform at a higher level.
“They were performing in front of a group of all of their teachers, so it wasn’t just like friends and family and a grandma who’s gonna say it sounds good,” Silvestri said. “It was other teachers from all throughout the state, so they had a very critical audience.”
The opportunity exposed them to the demanding nature of a longer performance.
“The discipline it takes to get music to that level…and just practicing presenting a longer program. Normally, when we have our concerts here all three groups perform so each group plays maybe fifteen to twenty minutes… [it allowed them] to build that stamina to be able to put on that kind of concert,” Silvestri said.