Concert/Chamber Orchestra Description


A Short History of the BHS Strolling Strings
The Bellingham High School Strolling Strings was established in the fall of 1973, in preparation for the BHS Music Department's Concert and Parade tour to Hawaii planned for the spring of 1974. The group performed several times while in Hawaii, including two concerts at the famous Princess Kaialani Hotel, and they also marched with the band and choir in the King Kah-MEha-Meha Day Parade.

The strollers continued until 1980, at which point the orchestra program at BHS grew so large that the before-school time that had been utilized for strolling strings rehearsals was now used by another new, elite string group: the BHS Chamber Orchestra.

During the 1980's the Concert Orchestras and Chamber Orchestras at Bellingham High flourished, and the Chamber Orchestra group eventually became a part of the curricular offering, thus opening the door for the resumption of the Strolling Strings.

With renewed interest, the BHS Strolling Strings resumed in the fall of 1992. The ensemble was re-established as a "non-auditioned" group-in other words anyone who was interested could join-and its main missions were: to learn, memorize, and perform popular music for the school and the community, and to have fun! All of the members of this year's group are enrolled in one of the orchestra classes at BHS, and the strollers rehearse two mornings a week to learn new music.

Earlier this year the BHS Strollers had the unique opportunity to perform for the biennial National Strolling Strings Festival, held in Spokane. During the three-day event the group was able to perform for, and be inspired by, the East Valley High School Strollers of Spokane and the U.S. Air Force Strolling Strings of Washington, D. C., who regularly perform at the White House. On Saturday night, November 2, 2002, all of the strolling groups collaborated and performed for a "standing-room-only" crowd in a final "Gala Concert."

Mark Schlichting, Coach and Advisor/BHS Strolling Strings 3/10/03




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