The school’s top two orchestras — chamber and symphonic — will be participating in the annual Music Performance Assessment on Friday at Satellite High school. The assessment will consist of two parts.  First, they will play pieces they have been practicing for judges, and then they will play music they have never seen before, known as sight-reading.

However, several problems have arisen this year which could prevent symphonic orchestras from attending.

“We might not go to MPA this year, becasue we had a decent amount of unfortunate events that happen to us,” said junior Jacob Blair, concert master of the orchestra. “Usually MPA is done on a Saturday or Friday afternoon, and we had to ask for a Friday afternoon [time slot]… but we got it at 3 p.m., so a lot of us have to find rides there because we can’t get  a bus.”

However if they do go, Blair believes the orchestra will do well.

“If we do go, I think we’ll play decently,” he said. “Comparing this year to last year, or even the year before that, I feel like we are as prepared as we were two years ago, and more prepared than we were last year.”

Junior Rhys Sheker is also in symphonic orchestra.

“The main challenge I foresee is everyone getting rides to the actual event,” Sheker said. “I myself know that my parents won’t be able to pickup during school hours, because of work.”

Because of this, Sheker said he fears the orchestra may not perform well at MPA.

“Considering that … a large chunk of our orchestra won’t be able to be there becasue of  transportation reasons, we’re looking [to be] in a pretty grim spot right now.”

By Clark Evans