Instrumental

Welcome to the Upper School Instrumental Program

At St. John’s School, the Instrumental Arts are a celebration of authentic, human achievement. In an increasingly automated world, the act of mastering an instrument remains a uniquely personal journey—one that requires patience, presence, and the "productive struggle" that leads to genuine growth. We believe that music is not just a skill to be acquired, but a collaborative discipline that fosters character, leadership, and a deep sense of community.

Our program is designed as a tiered experience, ensuring that every musician is heard and placed in an environment that honors their current mastery. Whether a student is seeking a foundational ensemble experience or a high-profile performance stage, they are an essential part of a program that values the integrity of the process as much as the excellence of the result.

Symphony Ensembles

The Symphony tier represents our lead ensembles, designed for students ready to engage with advanced repertoire and a comprehensive performance schedule.

Symphony Band: This ensemble is for woodwind, brass, and percussion players who have demonstrated a high level of technical mastery. Placement in this group signifies a commitment to artistic excellence and participation in the school’s most prominent musical events. Members of the Symphony Band are eligible to audition for the TPSMEA All-State Band.
Symphony Strings: This ensemble is for orchestral string and harp players who have demonstrated a high level of technical mastery. Placement in this group signifies a commitment to artistic excellence and participation in the school’s most prominent musical events. Members of the Symphony Strings are eligible to audition for the TPSMEA All-State Orchestra.

The St. John’s Symphony

The St. John’s Symphony serves as the flagship ensemble for our lead musicians. It is the body that represents our school at high-profile performances, including Candlelight, the Choral-Instrumental Festival, Chapel services, and the TPSMEA Concert & Sight Reading contest. Additionally, the Symphony represents St. John’s periodically at the ISAS Fine Arts Festival and other travel performance opportunities.

The Symphony operates as a flexible ensemble, drawing from the membership of the Symphony Band and Symphony Strings. To accommodate the specific repertoire and space constraints of various venues—particularly during choral collaborations like Candlelight—the Symphony may perform with reduced instrumentation that prioritizes principal players. This professional approach ensures that while the full symphonic unit performs together for major concerts, specialized subsets of the Symphony are utilized for specific high-profile traditions. This structure allows our students to experience the full range of the symphonic tradition, from grand-scale orchestral works to intimate chamber-style accompaniment.

Concert Ensembles

Our Concert Ensembles provide a vital environment for students to engage with their craft, focusing on core technique and standard literature in an open-enrollment setting. These groups offer a dedicated space for students to refine their instrumental voice and contribute to the school’s primary Fall and Spring Instrumental concerts.

Concert Band: This ensemble is for woodwind, brass, and percussion players, focusing on developing ensemble precision and musicality. It serves as an active environment for growth and collaboration, where every musician's contribution is essential to the collective sound.
Concert Strings: This ensemble is for orchestral string and harp players, focusing on developing ensemble precision and musicality. It serves as an active environment for growth and collaboration, where every musician's contribution is essential to the collective sound.

Jazz Rhythm

The Jazz Rhythm ensemble is a specialized, audition-based group for piano, guitar, bass, and drum set. Due to the unique instrumentation requirements of a rhythm section, this group is formed through a selective audition process.

Jazz Rhythm serves as the foundational core of our various jazz configurations, ranging from full Jazz Band performances to intimate Jazz Combos. This flexibility allows the group to adapt to diverse venues and requirements, most notably performing as the musical centerpiece of the annual Wassail Party, following Candlelight. Members of this ensemble also have the opportunity to represent the school by auditioning for the TPSMEA All-State Jazz Band.

Placement & The Ensemble Commitment

To ensure a successful experience for every family, we utilize an Individual Placement process for our band and string ensembles. This allows our directors to hear every student and place them in the configuration that best supports their level of mastery and their interest in performance visibility.

The Power of the Team

While our ensembles are a performance credit rather than a traditional class, they function as a team where every member is indispensable. A musical score is a puzzle that can only be completed when every individual demonstrates mastery of their specific part. We uphold the St. John’s standard by expecting each student to be an active contributor to the collective sound. The success of the ensemble relies on the integrity of each musician’s preparation, ensuring that the final performance is a true reflection of our shared dedication and artistic excellence.

Make sure you don't miss any upcoming concerts by checking our arts calendar.