Outstanding orchestra program at Travis Ranch

The Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) at Travis Ranch School is exemplary. The school is exceptionally proud of its middle school orchestra program. On Thursday, Jan. 28, all members of Advanced 1 Orchestra were selected by the Disneyland Community Arts Showcase to participate in their prestigious “Soundtrack Session: Instrumental” Performing Arts Workshop in a Disneyland recording studio. These students sight-read and recorded music from Disney films in a simulated film-scoring studio, learning the critical role musicians play in delivering a pitch-perfect performance. They experienced the excitement of working in a recording studio, where professional clinicians presented sight-reading techniques, performance concepts and the entire process of laying down music tracks. Taught by industry composers, arrangers, conductors and studio musicians, the workshop culminated with the reveal of Travis Ranch orchestra students’ hard work – a screening of their recorded score set to original Disney film footage, including Frozen, The Lion King and The Little Mermaid! Immediately following the workshop, students enjoyed the rest of the day at Disneyland. In addition, orchestra students regularly utilize technology, such as Google Classroom, to submit videos of performances, receive feedback from teachers and peers, evaluate performances, and collaborate on their music.