Nicolas Ocampo ’30

The Strake Jesuit/St. Agnes Orchestra has seen tremendous growth and change over the years. A significant increase in the talent pool of young virtuosos as well as the repertoire selection by Dr. Hernandez-Ching helped skyrocket the orchestra’s reputation and performances in several concerts and other school events, such as all-school masses and Presidents’ Dinner.

Dr. Hernandez-Ching has been the director of the orchestra for the past 26 years at Strake Jesuit and has witnessed the scale of change experienced by the ensemble.

“When I first started, there were only 16 kids. Now there’s over 70,” Dr. Hernandez-Ching noted. “There is no better way to start the day than music from the orchestra.”

Any crucial step in the advancement of the orchestra requires a process of determination and commitment from the musicians. Dr. Hernandez-Ching stresses the importance of putting together a difficult musical piece and always feels a great joy whenever the ensemble and individual musicians overcome technical obstacles and deliver an enriching performance that captivates the audience. As for the future, he hopes to premiere new music compositions in concerts and attempt a more challenging repertoire to expand the range of pieces the orchestra performs.

Musicians Woojin Kim ’29, viola section leader, and Khanh Le SAA ’28, violin 1 section leader, shared their personal insights on the orchestra and their hopes for the future of the ensemble.

“As first chair, not only have I seen improvement in myself from last year to this year, but I’ve also noticed that the viola section has strengthened overall, and I feel a responsibility to keep pushing myself and the other violas,” Woojin Kim said.

In her role as concertmistress, Khanh Le has set a strong musical example for the violinists.

“I really hope that the orchestra continues to progress in skill and that we can grow to an even higher level of performance,” she states. “I hope for more attendance to our concerts so that the community can see and appreciate all of our hard work.”

As the year goes on, it is hoped that growth and success in the program continues, especially with new freshmen from both schools.