The Santa Fe High School Chamber Orchestra has been chosen as the Honor Orchestra for the 2024 All-State Music Festival. This is the first time a music program from Santa Fe Public Schools will be honored at the festival. 

“It’s exciting, but it’s also nerve wracking because we’re performing for students from all across the state and also for all of their teachers, which makes me more nervous,” said orchestra director Mr. Tafoya. 

Usually, only a few students are chosen from the orchestra to participate in the festival ensembles, but now the entire chamber orchestra will be attending the event.

The festival, held annually by the New Mexico Music Educators Association, hosts 13 groups who perform over the course of four days. Eight of these groups have been formed using students’ independent auditions. The five honor groups were selected after submitting anonymous recordings as an ensemble, along with scores of the songs performed. A selection committee reviews each submission to curate the festival’s participants. 

“The term ‘All State’ sounds both exciting and mysterious to me,” violinist Daniel Dou said. “It’s my first time to attend an event like this, and I’ll give my best in it.” 

The 18-member orchestra will perform six pieces: An arrangement of “Symphony No. 5 1st Movement,” by Franz Schubert; “Petite Suite – Beautiful Flowers,” by Yukiko Nishimura; “Cycles of the Moon – Moon Dance,” by Ayala Asherov; “Darkened Shadows,” by Joshua Reznicow; themes from “The Inner Planets,” by Gustav Holst; and “Jesusita En Chihuahua,” arranged by Mr. Tafoya. 

The group will perform on Thurs., Jan. 11, at Popejoy Hall in Albuquerque.

The Santa Fe High community can hear the chamber orchestra perform, along with the beginner and intermediate orchestras, at their winter concert on Dec. 7 in the SFHS theater.