Honours Orchestra
After graduating from the Core program in grade 8, students are invited to continue their music education throughout high school by joining our Honours Orchestra. Here, they play weekly in a small ensemble lead by Sistema Toronto’s Honours Coordinator Teaching Artists; perform in an all-city Sistema Honours Orchestra; and gain teaching experience by working with younger students. Honours students also gain significant leadership experience by playing an integral role in the running and operation of the Honours Orchestra: students are responsible for the library, communications, stage management, artistic direction, and general operations.
Honours students meet weekly at their centres to practice advanced repertoire one-on-one with a mentor, and once each month they meet at a central location where they will have the opportunity to practice together. The Honours Orchestra also has the opportunity to perform public concerts throughout the academic year. In the past, this has included performances at the Ontario Strings Association Orchestra Festival, and concerts at Sir Oliver Mowat CI, where they played alongside various professional orchestras from the Scarborough area.
The purpose is to provide our students with the opportunity to showcase their talents while challenging them with advanced repertoire.
The overall purpose of the Honours Orchestra is to identify students who show particular promise on their instrument and give them an opportunity to shine by honing their music skills, advancing their leadership and teamwork skills, and fostering their capacity to play more advanced music. It also ensures that those who have graduated from Sistema’s Core program can stay connected to the Sistema Toronto program through high school.
