MHS is introducing a new class next year! It’s called Musical Theatre Pit Orchestra, and it’s pretty exciting.

This class is the first of its kind in the St. Vrain Valley District. Ms. Schmitt will be teaching it and was very open when talking about the class.

The official course description reads: “The Musical Theatre Pit Orchestra is a spring-semester course that focuses entirely on learning and performing the instrumental music for the spring musical. While most of the work will be done in class, after school rehearsals with the cast and crew will take place in March and/or April, and students will also need to be present at all performances (typically 4-6 shows in late April).” 

This class requires a lot of commitment, as you’ll have to stay after school to practice with the cast as they rehearse. Learning the timing of songs, any edits that Mrs. Mackey and Mrs. Berry have on the spot: lots of additions come up in rehearsal that are very import to be be there for.

With Pit Orchestra, you won’t have full freedom of choice over which instrument you play. Certain instruments are needed for the production, while others are not. So if you’re up to possibly learning a new instrument, or have any interest in helping the musical aspect of the musicals; Pit Orchestra is for you. 

The course provides a .5 Credit in Fine Arts (music),  and there is no fee.

Ms. Schmitt said that she chose to add this class because “the instruments in my orchestras are never the exact instrumentation needed for our shows, which means that we have to recruit other players and usually also re-write the show’s music to fit our instrumentation.”

She, along with others, hopes that the class will be a success. It’s a new and fun way to help out with the spring productions, if acting or the technical aspects are not appealing to you. If you have any other questions/concerns about Musical Theatre Pit Orchestra, you may contact Ms. Schmitt.