Sahuaro is filled with very talented musicians! During the third week of January, four students from Sahuaro went on a trip to Los Angeles with the Tucson Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. These four students are: Evan Ellingsberg, Sophie Acedo, Matt Bley, and Geoffrey Robertson, accompanied by Mr. Marrs as a chaperone.

To be part of the Tucson Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, students must go through an audition process. The members of this group are some of the most talented musicians in Southern Arizona. The Tucson Philharmonic gives students the opportunity to get professional-level training and improve their musical abilities.

During the trip to LA, Sahuaro’s musicians got to see and work with some of the most talented musicians in the world. They were able to see the Los Angeles Philharmonic play Symphony No 28 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky. Evan Ellinsberg’s favorite part was, “The LA Orchestra because the world-renowned Itzhak Perlman played the violin.”

Geoffrey Robertson’s favorite part of the trip was also the LA Orchestra. “Itzhak Perlman is one of the greatest violinists in history. Hearing him play was a very surreal experience for me.”

The students also got to participate at a clinic with Larry Livingston, the Orchestral Director at the University of Southern California. During this clinic, Livingston listened to the students play a piece called “The Rite of Spring” and gave them pointers on how to improve it. Mr. Marrs says, “The ability level of the group just sky rocketed in those three hours with him.”

The clinic was very educational for the students. Geoffrey Robertson says, “I learned countless French horn techniques.”

They also got to go to the Grammy Museum, the Getty Museum, and walk Hollywood Boulevard.