- Important Dates and Times!
- Helpful Links and Info
- Register for Cut Time
- Orchestra Fundraiser Update
- TEA Performance
- Orchestra Fees and Instrument Rental
- Uniform Requirements
- Orchestra Fall Trip to Dallas/Fort Worth
- Los Angeles Spring Trip
- Clinics to Help Prepare for Regions Auditions
- Video Tutorials to Help Students Prepare for Region Auditions
- Private Lessons
- Adult Orchestra Volunteers
- Thank You to Our Sponsors!
- Our Platinum Sponsors Coming soon!
- Our Gold Sponsors
Coming soon!
Important Dates and Times!
Wed, 9/9 (7:15 am): Early practice for varsity orchestra
Wed, 9/9 (8:00 am): Early practice for varsity and non-varsity orchestra
Sat, 9/12: All-State violin and bass audition workshop (details below)
Wed, 9/16 (6:30 pm): Fall orchestra concert at Austin High PAC
Fri, 9/18: Final remaining balance for Dallas trip due (details below)
Sat, 9/19: All-State viola audition workshop at Texas State (details below)
9/25-9/27: Orchestra trip to Dallas/Fort Worth (details below)
Sat, 9/26: Second All-State viola audition workshop at ACC Highland Campus (details below)
Sat, 10/24: Monster Concert at Austin High
1/14-1/18: Orchestra Spring Trip to Los Angeles (details below)
Helpful Links and Info
Register for Cut Time
If you have not yet registered with Cut Time, please use the following link to enter your personal information:
https://app.gocuttime.com/sr/TWEUL87R
The Austin High Orchestra Boosters use Cut Time to send weekly newsletters and share important program information. This year, Mrs. Heidi Gysan, Austin High Orchestra Booster Secretary, will send the weekly newsletter through Cut Time.
Orchestra Fundraiser Update
We are just three days away from trying to reach our goal of $22,000! We can absolutely reach our goal—and then some!
Please take a few minutes this weekend to send those texts and emails and keep sharing your fundraiser link. Every donation counts, and we’re almost there!
TEA Performance
Thank you to the parent volunteers who donated their time and drove the orchestra students to the TEA performance on Friday (Ms. Trevino, Ms. Pac, Ms. Mancillas, Ms. Tseng, Mr. Lewis, and Mr. Warren)! The students played very well and represented Austin High and the school district in a professional and distinguished manner. Congratulations!
Orchestra Fees and Instrument Rental
Please click on this link to the AISD website to pay your student’s $150 orchestra fee and $60 for instrument rental. This money goes to the school directly. Please look for the violin icon when making a payment.
Fees and the instrument rental can also be paid by check (include your student’s name in the memo line) made payable to “Austin High Orchestra.”
The deadline to pay the fee and instrument rental is September 30th. If a student needs help with these expenses, you may apply for a scholarship here.
Fees paid cover music for the whole year, orchestra performances, transportation for orchestra UIL and social events, contests fees, sectional coaches, clinicians, and other related items.
Uniform Requirements
Many dresses and pants need to be hemmed before our first concert on September 16th. If slacks or dresses are too long, please check uniforms out and take them home to be hemmed. Many dry cleaners and tailors provide this service. Uniforms can be checked out from the uniform room after school.
Dress hemlines should graze the floor or top of the foot when standing in concert shoes. Slacks hemlines should graze the top of the dress shoes in the front and sit at the top of the shoe heel in the back. High school kids are still growing so when in doubt, err on the longer side. Please ask that extra material not be cut or otherwise permanently altered to maintain maximum flexibility for future students.
Boys will need a white tux shirt. Boys and girls all need to wear black shoes!
For uniform questions, contact Tracy Harp (tracyoharp@gmail.com).
Orchestra Fall Trip to Dallas/Fort Worth
The deposit window for our Dallas fall trip has closed. Thank you to everyone who reserved a spot!
We will be sharing the final remaining balance soon, with payment due on Friday, September 18th! Please note the final amount may change depending on grant approval and the results of our fundraising efforts.
We are looking forward to a wonderful trip! Please stay tuned for additional information.
Los Angeles Spring Trip
Last call for LA Fun! If your student is even thinking about going, please join the waitlist today. Adding your name to the waitlist is completely non-binding, but it gives us the accurate count we need to greenlight this trip!
Clinics to Help Prepare for Regions Auditions
Jessica Mathaes, assistant professor of violin at Southwestern University and concertmaster of the Austin Symphony is holding an All-State violin audition workshop to help students prepare for auditions on Saturday, September 12th from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm. The event is free to attend, but students must register. Please see this Southwestern flyer for more information!
A workshop for bass players is also taking place on Saturday, September 12th at McCallum High School from 2:00 pm – 4:30 pm. Additional information about this workshop is available here!
A workshop for viola players is scheduled for Saturday, September 19th, at Texas State from 9:00 am – 6:00 pm. Please see the registration link here!
A second workshop for viola players is taking place on Saturday, September 26th at the ACC Highland Campus from 9:00 am- 5:00 pm. Please see this ACC flyer for additional information!
Video Tutorials to Help Students Prepare for Region Auditions
Here are the links to video tutorials that students should watch and use this summer to help them prepare for the Region Auditions.
Violin Tutorials:
https://ensembleblock.com/portal/tmea-2026-2027-orchestra-violinhttps://ensembleblock.com/portal/tmea-2026-2027-orchestra-violin
Viola Tutorials:
https://ensembleblock.com/portal/tmea-2026-2027-orchestra-viola
Cello Tutorials:
https://ensembleblock.com/portal/tmea-2026-2027-orchestra-cello
Bass Tutorials:
https://ensembleblock.com/portal/tmea-2026-2027-orchestra-string-bass
Private Lessons
The private lessons offered by the instructors on this page are some of the most affordable you can find, and the instructors are wonderful. Please consider signing your child up. It can make a big difference in their progress, and how much they enjoy the orchestra program because of the confidence they develop. Payment for private lessons are made directly by parents to the private teacher and not the Austin High Orchestra.
Adult Orchestra Volunteers
The orchestra relies on adult volunteers for different events throughout the year. If you are interested in volunteering or know you will be volunteering in the orchestra room and helping students, please submit an application on the AISD Voly site. Also check out our volunteer webpage for additional info.
Get Messages Using Remind
Please make sure that you and your student(s) sign up to get important messages and reminders. To sign up for Remind, compose a text message to the number 81010.
Camerata Orchestra: @a2aa82
Philharmonic & Recital Orchestras: @g4kcfc2
Chamber Orchestra: @hh2949
Orchestra Parents: @hak8gd