The Geneva High School’s Spring Orchestra season holds many surprises and fun things in store, but for Orchestra members Caroline Verdecchia and Alyssa Schneider the season means something more. Not only does the upcoming season allow its members to strengthen their skills and lessons learned, but it is also the last season before the end of the school year.

“I’m excited for our spring concert,” Chamber Orchestra member Caroline Verdecchia said, “It’s our last concert with the seniors and I want it to be awesome!”

For its members, Orchestra is more than just playing music. It allows them to express themselves and meet new people who all share a common love for music. The Spring season marks a start to a new season with new music as well as new challenges.

“The hardest part of playing in orchestra is the mental blocks you have,” Verdecchia said. “Practice can be challenging and seem impossible, but you have to keep going.”

Those challenges and hardships are what push each member to get better. Throughout the season the music only gets harder and requires more work, but that only motivates them to work harder. Each Orchestra season brings different experiences and opportunities to its members that allow for personal growth and reflection.

“My proudest moment from this year is from when I did a solo piece in a concert with my lesson teacher,” Violin player Alyssa Schneider said.

This upcoming spring season will only encompass more proud moments that each member can look back on with fondness and confidence. The Spring season will only help enhance the lessons already learned from the previous seasons.

“Orchestra is a team effort and you have to learn to play and work with others to make the music on the page come to life,” Verdecchia said.

Lessons like teamwork are only a small part of the life skills that are learned from being apart of an Orchestra. The 50-minute period of time allows for a break for most of the kids to escape  reality and be sucked into the world of music.

“My favorite part of playing violin is that when I play, it gives me a sense of relaxation and it makes all my worries go away,” Schneider said.

The upcoming season is only sure to bring more relaxation and good memories for everyone involved! Orchestra allows both its members and the audience to be influenced by the calming or fast-past music. Music is heavily tied back to emotions and how each member expresses their feelings through the music.

“’My favorite song I played was The Four Seasons composed by Antonio Vivaldi,” Verdecchia said. “I played this piece in an outside orchestra and it made me learn to love music.”

Music not only allows people to find themselves and what motivates them, but it opens up a doorway to many new friendships that are one of a kind.

“Orchestra is so much more than just making music,” Verdecchia said.  “It’s meeting new friends and developing important life skills, like teamwork and establishing a work ethic. You will meet some of your best friends while doing something you truly enjoy, and I recommend everyone tries it!”

The upcoming season will allow participants like Verdecchia and Schneider to keep doing what they love and sharing it with others. Programs like Orchestra teach skills and lessons that are highly valuable throughout life.