District 15 and District 211 have joined together for their annual combined orchestra festival on Oct. 16 at 7pm.

As the first concert of every year, 300 students from Palatine High School, Fremd High School, Thomas Jefferson Middle School, Plum Grove Middle School and Carl Sandburg Middle School will perform. Switching off between Palatine High School and Fremd High School every year, this year the festival was hosted in Fremd’s main gym. 

The festival will feature junior high students and high schoolers. Each middle schooler was paired with one high schooler at a music stand. In previous years, only the 8th graders joined the high schools, however, this year, the festival included 7th graders as well. Between pieces, the conductors detailed the differences between junior high and high school orchestra.

The entire ensemble is performing four pieces. Orchestra director Marla Caballero, and Dung (Yoon) Pham, the conductor at Palatine High School, both prepared and led the concert. The Philharmonic Orchestras from each high school, along with the Symphony Orchestras, performed their own pieces, observed by their younger counterparts.

Caballero was pleased with the orchestra’s practice.

“I’ve been really impressed with this year’s students as they have been doing a nice job in their weekly preparation, which helps us not feel like we are cramming.” 

Sophomore Sahana Iyer, a violinist in Fremd’s Symphony Orchestra, enjoyed the experience.

“The D211 festival is a great place to foster new musical connections,” Iyer said. “Everyone is encouraged to come and watch.”