Spartanburg High School Orchestra with Early Music Youth Orchestra

Spartanburg High School is the flagship school in Spartanburg School District 7, and is home to the very first string orchestra program in South Carolina, established in 1920. There are four orchestras at SHS, and this touring orchestra is comprised of a cross-section of all four of them. Like most American high schools, “SHS” houses students in grades 9-12 (ages 15-18). The student body population is around 2,000. The “new SHS” features state-of-the-art technology and a Performing Arts Theatre that will seat 1,000 guests. The old campus lacked an auditorium, so this upgrade is substantial and exciting for music students, teachers, and audiences alike.

Since 1970, members of the Spartanburg High School orchestras have traveled overseas every 3-4 years. Past trips have included performances in the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, France, Germany, Austria, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, and China. This year’s tour they will be performing in London, Liverpool and Edinburgh.

Established in July 2017 with an emphasis on high-level performance comparable to that of the best youth orchestras in the world, the Early Music Youth Orchestra (EMYO) is EMAE’s flagship ensemble. Led by the EMAE Director and String Tutors, EMYO draws its members from those string players (violins, violas, cellos and double basses) who have graduated from or are enrolled on the Academy's Advanced and Intermediate programmes.

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