Redwood Orchestra—What’s going on?

As the 2026-2027 school year begins, Redwoods Advanced and Chamber Orchestra plans for tests, activities, and concerts.

By: Melina Contreras

For many students, Orchestra is an extracurricular class that allows Students to express themselves through music. The question is, though, what exactly does Redwood High School Orchestra prepare for?

As the school Year progresses, many students ranging from freshmen to seniors have chosen to join the Redwood Advanced and Chamber Orchestra run by Rodney Yukota. The class runs from 11:53-12:50 for chamber and 12:50-1:36 They prepare for Concerts, such as the Chicago trip on October 3rd for chamber, and the Disney trip coming in April for advanced.

Some students, when they graduate, may continue to play as their career. And regardless of whether they do or not, that’s their decision.

Margret Florek, ’28, said, “I continued to play throughout elementary and middle school. I play the violin, but I’m thinking about changing over to viola. The trip to Disneyland is always fun. I think they do it every year.  I hope I get to do it again this year. I don’t think I have any specific expectations for the class; it’s a very loose class. My advice would be to do it because you love to do it.”

Students in intermediate and younger grades could listen to this advice. As younger students, they are required to choose to play an instrument, choir, or classroom music. The students getting to travel to Disneyland is interesting. Some students can switch instruments if they wish to.

Francisco VaIIes, ’28, said, “I am excited and glad to have many colleagues that come from Oak Grove in orchestra, and we’re playing new music. I chose to join orchestra because I liked music a lot as a child. The advice I’d give them is don’t forget to practice. Practicing your music and your skills is the way to mastery of your music. I expect the class to at least play together as a class and not do their own thing.”

For some students, this may for many be true. Many people from middle school may join when they eventually get to high school. Orchestra is open to everyone. You should not be afraid to try new things.

Elizeo Gonzales-Reyes, ’29, says, “I’m excited. I can’t wait to play with the group, hang out with everybody, get to know everybody from all three groups, and perform to show what we can do as musicians.”

Advice students can follow: Always practice. Practicing your music will only help you grow as a musician. And yes. If no one practiced, the orchestra as a group could never get better. Orchestra is a group effort.

Rodney Yukota, orchestra teacher, says, “when I was in college I was a computer science major and I thought I was gonna do that but then I thought, ‘I Don’t want to be in a cubicle all day’ and by that time I had been helping out my church with the youth group stuff and I liked working with kids and I had been playing music all throughout collage and I thought “Oh I want to do this so I think I wasn’t to teach so it was first and foremost I wanted to work with kids, and because I was a mucisian.”

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