About the Orchestra
The Ragsdale High School Orchestra was started in 2003 with only three members, and has since grown to over 45 of Ragsdale’s most thoughtful and creative students. Ragsdale Orchestra students are typically top academic performers, many of whom are club leaders and athletes. Our Music students have been offered scholarships and are accepted into the finest colleges. Recognized by Guilford County and the state of North Carolina for having a top-notch orchestra, Ragsdale has been awarded Superior Ratings in levels IV-VI. The Orchestra plays in a standard series of concerts as well as numerous community service activities. The Performing Ensembles of Ragsdale High School Orchestra have a high community impact, supporting the local school as well as the state of North Carolina. The Ragsdale Bands and Orchestras annually perform for school events such as Senior Speech night, Commencement, pep rallies, and games. Ragsdale Music students are also a supportive part of our community and surrounding areas. They play annually for the Salvation Army, the Jamestown Christmas Parade, local elementary and middle schools, and for residents of local nursing homes. The various Bands and Orchestras are frequently asked to perform for unique events, such as the Governor’s “Inaugural Parade,” “Jamestown Days,” and local/national TV spots/commercials. Our musicians participated in the “Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas,” where we helped to raise $1.7 Million for the Shriners Hospital. The Ragsdale Performing Ensembles have been invited to perform all over the country. Travel experiences have been an exciting and enriching part of high school for our students. Thanks to the diligence and hard work of our students, their families and the Instrumental Music Boosters, the Ragsdale Band and Orchestra have traveled to perform at many of the State's major venues, including the Biltmore and Carowinds, as well as other locations in North America, such as Disneyworld and MGM Studios in Orlando, Florida; Six Flags, Georgia and Toronto, Canada; and Carnegie Hall in New York City. Our Music students have had the opportunity to attend master classes presented by musicians from our local colleges and universities, members of the Greensboro Symphony, and other special guests. Tom Sharpe (the drummer from Manheim Steamroller and Dennis DeYoung of Styx), Lindsay Kesselman (Soprano), Tim Hudson (Yamaha Performing Artist), Stephen Pollock and the "New Century Saxophone Quartet," Grace Kennerly (of the Boston University Tanglewood Institute), Nathan Daughtery (Percussion/Composer), The Helios Piano Trio, The John Salmon Trio, and Susan Rider (of the President's Own) have all shared their skills and experiences with the Ragsdale High School students. |