South Milwaukee High School Orchestras

Where words fail, music speaks!
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About Us
The South Milwaukee High School Orchestras.

Our Mission:
The mission of the SMHS Orchestras is to provide every student with the most effective environment in which they are prepared artistically, intellectually, and pragmatically to achieve success in music.


We believe that:
· Every student deserves access to a music education.
· Music is a serious academic core subject.
· Music has the unique ability to communicate the ideas and emotions of the human spirit.
· Music connects us to our history, our traditions, and our heritage.
· The study of music helps us discover who we are as individuals and as members of a larger society.
· The study of music increases students’ ability to think and excel in other academic subjects.

The Orchestras:

 

Concert Orchestra

Concert Orchestra is designed to provide a transition to the high school level of performance. All other options are the same for this group as described in Symphony Orchestra. Orchestra students meet everyday for 45 minutes. Students will be scheduled for a weekly group lesson.

Symphony Orchestra

Symphony Orchestra is a curricular performance ensemble designed to familiarize students with music from early Baroque to music of today. The Symphony Orchestra participates in festivals and concert performances as a motivation for achievement and development of musical skill. Members may audition for a position in Christmas Feaste, Musical Orchestra, Chamber String Ensemble, and other special groups. Orchestra students meet on an alternating A-B schedule for 90 minutes.

Renaissance Ensemble

Renaissance Ensemble is an elite, auditioned string group that performs at the Olde Christmas Feaste, a madrigal dinner. The group performs music of the Renaissance and Baroque periods as well as holiday music. Traditionally this ensemble has perfomed at the South Milwaukee Old fashioned Christmas and other holiday events in the community.

Chamber String Ensemble

Chamber String Ensemble is comprised of the top 20-24 string players from the Concert and Symphony Orchestras. This ensemble primarily prepares for the WSMA District and State Solo and Ensemble festivals as well as the PRISM concert. This ensemble performs music of considerable difficulty usually appropriate for collegiate level performance.

Musical Orchestra

Each year SMHS performs a Broadway style musical. Members of the Wind Ensemble and String Ensemble make up the ensemble based on need.
                       

About the Conductor

CRAIG KELLENBERGER has been the Director of Orchestras at South Milwaukee High School since 1994. He was appointed the K-12 Music Curriculum Coordinator in 1998 and was appointed to the High School Music Department Chair in 2003. The orchestra was honored with the Judge’s Choice Award at the Spring 2000 “Festival in the Park” in San Jose, California, received a Superior rating at the “Music Festival” in Nassau, Bahamas, Spring 2003, perfomed at Walt Disney World as part of their "Disney Magic Music Days" in 2007.

Mr. Kellenberger also serves as the Assistant Director of Instrumental Ministries at the Oak Creek Assembly of God Church. In this role, he conducts the Sanctuary Orchestra, which provides music for four major musical productions each year. Mr. Kellenberger is cofounder and director of the “Summer Music and Drama Camp” which brings together youth from the church for a weeklong fine arts camp.
Mr. Kellenberger received his Bachelor of Music Education, magna cum laude, from Lawrence University Conservatory of Music (WI) where he studied conducting with James Plondke and was the first student conductor ever chosen in the senior concerto competition. Mr. Kellenberger received his Master of Music at Baylor University where he studied conducting with Stephen Heyde, Donald Bailey, and Michael Haithcock.

Mr. Kellenberger is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda music honor society, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the Wisconsin Music Educators Association, Music Educator’s National Conference, and the American String Teachers Association.