The Chamber Orchestra is the premier string ensemble at The Lovett School; over 40 Upper School students participate in the ensemble, which has been recognized for excellence at local and national competitions, conventions, and festivals. Orchestra classes emphasize technical development and musicianship; music theory and music history are studied; and the development of compositional skills and musical creativity are also part of the class work. The Chamber Orchestra will join the Symphonic Band for the annual Upper School Holiday Concert; will be featured at the String Spectacular Concert in early March; and the chamber music ensembles will be heard in smaller concerts during the year. In addition, members of the orchestra play in chapel services, perform in concerts for the community, and provide leadership and inspiration for younger players at Lovett. Individuals in the orchestra have also been recognized for reaching an outstanding level of accomplishment by winning prizes in extracurricular musical activities.
The Middle School Orchestra is an ensemble of sixth, seventh, and eighth grade string students; each grade meets separately in smaller classes to maximize the educational experience. The classes focus on technical development and instrumental facility, musical awareness, music history, and music theory. The Middle School Orchestra will perform a holiday concert with the Lower School Orchestra the second week in December and participate in the String Spectacular concert at the beginning of March. Seventh and eighth grade members will participate in the Music in the Parks Festival, a local competition in which the Lovett Middle School Orchestra has established a tradition of superior ratings and top scores. Sixth grade members will present outreach concerts in the community during the holiday season and in the late spring. Chamber music is introduced in the seventh grade and studied in greater depth at the eighth grade level. Individuals and ensembles from the orchestra have performed in chapel services and pursued musical opportunities outside of school.
The Lower School Orchestras offer third, fourth, and fifth graders the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of playing the violin, viola, cello, and bass. Students use the fundamentals as building blocks to learn and perform more advanced literature. Each fourth and fifth grade orchestra student attends orchestra class three times within the seven-day rotation—once as a small group based on their homeroom and twice as a larger class organized by grade. Third grade players attend orchestra class three times within the rotation—twice as a small group based on their homeroom and once as a combined class. The Lower School Orchestra members perform in a holiday concert in the Hendrix-Chenault Theater in late November, play in the String Spectacular concert in March, and share a program with the Lower School Band in May. Members of the orchestra also play in chapel services, perform for the Lower School Open House, and present a holiday concert at a local assisted living center.