At Tuesday’s school board meeting, Fine Arts Director Russell Sanders proposed a new orchestra program for the district. Pending approval, the course could start as soon as next school year.

“All the greatest literature in the history of western culture has been written for the orchestra. And that is still the case today,” Band Director Glenn Fugett said. “There’s nothing like it. The orchestra is the best.”

A sixth-grade orchestra class format would emulate the current band setup, with a pre-orchestra class included in fifth-grade curriculum.

“It’d be really nice because there’s a lot of people who play string instruments that can’t play in band,” junior Travis Waggoner said.

The availability of rehearsal space would pose problems in schools already strapped for room.

“There may not be a real big interest in orchestra, every school’s different. It depends on how many students sign up for it,” Mr. Fugett said. “It’s just an experience they can’t get otherwise, because we don’t have any strings.”

The orchestra program would begin with students entering fifth grade in the 2010-2011 school year. In the following years, the district would introduce new courses to accommodate the advancing class.

“It [orchestra] would certainly help the students who are interested in majoring in music,” Mr. Fugett said. “Because those band students would get a great experience playing with a string orchestra.”

Over a four-year period, the district predicts it would need to hire 15 strings instructors to teach the orchestra classes.

“Strings kids are different, in general,” Mrs. Goodwin said. “And you’d reach a different population [with the program].”

According to Mr. Fugett, an orchestra program would allow students to experience a wider range of musical literature.

“When you’re a wind or percussion player, and you play with an orchestra, it feels like you’re a solo player,” Mr. Fugett said. “They can’t experience that kind of ensemble playing anywhere else.”