Honors Orchestras Bring Music and Connection to ISU Campus
January 23, 2025

More than 250 young musicians and their dedicated teachers from across eastern Idaho gathered at Idaho State University on Friday, January 17 for the annual East Idaho Honors Orchestras event.
Hosted by ISU’s Department of Music, the event showcased the region’s top middle and high school string players. The day-long rehearsals culminated in an evening concert at Jensen Concert Hall, conducted by Meagan Andrew and Nell Flanders.
To prepare for the day, students got the music several months in advance and their teachers worked with them. They then spent a day on the ISU Pocatello campus in rehearsals, culminating in an evening performance.
David Clay, Skyline High School and Eagle Rock Middle School teacher, brought about 25 students to the day-long event.
“My favorite part of this is the fact they get to meet others who play their instruments and see what kind of future they might have,” he says. “This is a chance for the kids to see that music brings so much more than music itself. It brings a social connection, camaraderie. The students get to see what college professors look like, how they work, what they might be getting into in their next stages of life.”
Eric Smith, who teaches at Hillcrest High School and Sandcreek Middle School in Idaho Falls, brought 8 middle school students and 11 high school students to the event. He explained that the goal is to provide students with the experience of playing in a larger ensemble. "It's great for them to see the full picture," Smith said. "They get to spend an entire day focused on orchestra and then perform a concert that evening, offering a snapshot experience compared to the 6-12 weeks typically spent preparing for a school concert."
Grace Miguel, a violinist from Bonneville High School, shared her enthusiasm for the event, saying, “I love going to the honors orchestra because there’s so much professional advice they give you.”
Smith contributed to organizing the event by coordinating student nominations and arranging the seating assignments. “All the directors take time out of their regular schedule on top of their normal duties to create this experience for the students,” he says.
This year Smith says they had 130 middle school nominations and 127 high school nominees. The group is not auditioned, but each school has a limited number of students they can nominate, so Smith says that the directors have to choose their nominations carefully.
Smith focuses on nominating students he feels would greatly benefit from the experience. He also leans towards seniors to give them the on-campus experience and exposure to the faculty.
A senior cellist from Pocatello High School highlighted the benefits of connecting with university faculty, stating, “What I like about this opportunity is it gives me an opportunity to meet professors at ISU and get to know them more.”
For both Smith and Clay, attending as a teacher is also an opportunity for their own growth as teachers. “For me it reinforces some of the things we’re doing and some of the things we can continue to improve on at the schools,” Clay says.
“It gives me a chance to observe other conductors and get ideas for activities I can take back to my classroom.”
Smith says that the event brings value to him as a teacher by allowing him to collaborate with other orchestra directors outside of his school district and city.
“Working together as directors from all over eastern Idaho,” Smith says, “we get the chance to discuss ways to improve other events as well as teaching strategies, and gain perspective and support as teachers.”
He also says it’s beneficial for students, who get to hear from different professionals and teachers: “Every student needs someone else to help them have a new way of understanding something.”
“We do this for the students,” Smith says. “Once students do this they say please let me do this next year.”
Categories: