The soft sound of string music accompanied by a few wrong notes and rushed beats can be heard spilling from the band room. Once inside, there is an array of chairs set up, each different section full of violins, violas, chellos, and basses. The teacher pauses the music to help the violins perfect a certain section. When they play again the music sounds perfect, and with the help of Stephen Alguire’s Intermediate Orchestra class, anyone can play a beautiful symphony.
Students in Alguire’s class can learn how to play notes correctly, hold their bow, play in time, and get the opportunity to play in concerts and regional orchestra competitions.
Orchestra class is like a vacation: it’s a calming break from other stressful homework-heavy classes. Alguire helps students be able to enjoy music and makes his class extremely fun and low-pressure with his laid back teaching style, where students can learn while also enjoying themselves. Students are not required to practice their instrument at home, only in class, and because of the lack of tests, your grade is entirely participation based. Alguire’s jokes and friendly personality make the class feel very warm and welcoming.
Freshman Dani Smith mentioned they enjoyed Alguire’s unique ways of teaching different important skills. Some students also said that his class was a great way to make friends. “It was a gateway to making friends and a highlight of every day,” Freshman Shailey Beyer said. Other members of the orchestra noted how engaging the class was. Junior Jocylin Reyes claimed that Alguire’s dynamic teaching style “kept things interesting.”
Alguire cares for his students and gives them an enjoyable stress-free way to learn an instrument. For anyone interested in music, Alguire’s orchestra class is a great choice.