This year, the Hoffman Estates High School “Hawkestra” program is refining its annual concert with the Eisenhower Junior High orchestra kids.

Eisenhower orchestra students took a field trip to Hoffman on Monday for a music workshop with the Hoffman Estates Symphony Orchestra. The seventh and eighth graders received a warm welcome from Tobin Langridge, HEHS orchestra director, in the Hoffman auditorium and immediately went to making music together.

During block 3, the Eisenhower students were joined with the HEHS Symphony Orchestra, which is composed of the school’s most talented orchestra students of freshmen through seniors. After rehearsal with the combined orchestra in preparation for an upcoming concert, the students broke into groups for some big brother/big sister activities.

“The workshop was scheduled as a preparation for the combined performance that we do for the fall concert. But the larger picture is for the future students of Hoffman High School to make music on the campus and to establish connections.” said Langridge.

Eisenhower students became familiar with the music department with a scavenger hunt through the band room, choir room, and practice rooms. The event culminated with more socializing with pizza and soda for lunch.

The workshop allowed junior high kids to meet and socialize with the high schoolers and get taste of the high school ambience through a scavenger hunt and trivia.

In years past, Eisenhower orchestras shared the stage with the HEHS Symphony Orchestra for a concert in the in the Hoffman gymnasium. However, each practiced their own music and played as separate orchestras for a February concert in the gym.

This year, in order to be more connected with the future Hawkestra members, the concert will feature each the 7^th and 8^th grade orchestras along with the Concert, Philharmonic, and Symphony orchestras of Hoffman in the Hoffman auditorium, culminating in the Eisenhower and Symphony combined orchestra piece.

“The idea of the [February concert] was more of your 5-12 scope of what was going on in the community. There are many positives of that kind of event, but what wasn’t happening was the connection between junior high and high school students,” said Langridge.

The junior high orchestra students were extremely engaged during the workshop and thoroughly enjoyed it. The students were enthusiastic to be able to make music with high schoolers and the afternoon off having fun.

The high school students enjoyed hosting the fine musicians and to be able to socialize with the younger generation.

“When younger students make connections, it does nothing but strengthen the program. For the older students, it was an altruistic value to be a part of,” said Langridge.

Hoffman Estates High School can’t wait to welcome Eisenhower orchestra once more for the fall concert next Thursday, October 15 at 7 p.m.