For the first time, Dustin Frieda is giving all high school band and orchestra students of Columbia Public Schools (CPS) a chance to participate in a district orchestra without tuition. 

Frieda, the director of the orchestra at Hickman High School (HHS) and Jefferson Middle School (JMS) found it unfortunate that most students were unable to play “real music” throughout their middle and high school career.

“A string orchestra is unable to play so many iconic pieces, such as the ones composed by Beethoven, Bach, Hayden and so many more unless they are arranged,” Frieda said.

Once a piece is arranged, the students are able to play the climax or the well-known melodies only.  

The orchestra directors of RBHS and Battle High School (BHS) cooperated with Frieda to provide the students with a new experience. The orchestra will consist of strings and band instruments. 

Frieda has planned since May 2018 to present the idea to students. Alison Lankheit’s job, the orchestra director of RBHS and JMS, was to recruit students. “Dustin Frieda did a lot of work figuring out the logistics and facilities” Alison Lankheit said, “and my job was to recruit people, along with the orchestra director at Battle High School.”

The first month of rehearsals consists of strings only to help them adapt to the music before adding a new sound, then band instruments will be added. “The music will definitely be more challenging. We [the orchestra] will focus on real pieces, not arrangements,” Frieda said. “One of them will be Beethoven’s Symphony No.5, a very famous piece, it [the piece] is around 24 minutes long.”

Genny Harline is a sophomore at RBHS. She began playing her cello in sixth grade, but this orchestra is her first experience to play in a full orchestra. She expects more new sounds with the band instruments and wishes to learn more about a full orchestra from this experience. 

She believes the free experience will be beneficial towards her dream: to create a community orchestra. 

“It’s the best music there is when you can play it that way,” Frieda said. He believes students like Harline will have a great experience through the program. He hopes for the orchestra to continue to grow, as students from different schools and various instruments play together.  

Rehearsals began Oct. 3, and they take place at HHS every Thursday from 4:30-6 p.m. The first performance will be April 22, 2020. 

What music would you like to hear the orchestra play?