Time:
Tuesday
December, 20, 2022
12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
Location:
375 E
Category
High School Full Orchestra
Performer Details
Performer Bio Synopsis
The Forza Full Orchestra is one of the premiere concert ensembles at Claudia Taylor “Lady Bird” Johnson High School from San Antonio, TX. Forza is comprised of the top string, woodwind, brass, and percussion musicians at Johnson. It performs literature of the highest caliber and quality. Since 2008, the bands and orchestras at Johnson have achieved a remarkable history of excellence in the school’s short history. Both the String Orchestra and Wind Ensemble received invitations to perform at Midwest in 2016 and 2019, respectively. This is the first time the groups have come together to perform as a Full Orchestra on stage at Midwest. The Forza String Orchestra and Wind Ensemble at Johnson have received exclusively “Sweepstakes” ratings at UIL Concert and Sight-Reading Evaluations and have been finalists in the TMEA Honor Orchestra and Honor Band Contests multiple times. The marching band is a consistent finalist at BOA Regionals and Grand Nationals and was awarded the UIL Class 6A State Marching Championship in 2020. Over the years, students from these programs have earned positions in TMEA Region and All-State bands and orchestras. These students also consistently participate in UIL Solo/Ensemble contests and qualify to perform at the State level. The Forza Full Orchestra proudly represents the North East Independent School District. North East has a rich tradition of excellence in fine arts and has had multiple ensembles perform at Midwest, including the Tejeda Honor Orchestra, Bradley Jazz Band, Tex Hill Honor Band, Churchill Percussion Ensemble, Reagan Sax Quartet, Reagan Chamber Orchestra, and Reagan Wind Ensemble.
Claudia Taylor Johnson High School Forza Full Orchestra
Conductor's Bio
Karen George has been the orchestra director at Claudia Taylor Johnson High School since its opening in 2008. In its very first year, the Johnson Forza Orchestra won the Music in the Schools competition earning a $5,000 grant. That same year, she took the orchestra on a European tour performing in Vienna, Munich, and Budapest. She has built a program of excellence with multiple Sweepstakes ratings each year among the four competing groups that participate in UIL Concert and Sight Reading Competition. In addition, her string orchestra was a finalist in the TMEA Honor Orchestra competition in 2013 and full orchestra was a finalist three times at the TMEA Honor Full Orchestra competition. In 2016, her string orchestra was invited to perform at The Midwest Clinic and is honored to have the opportunity for the Full Orchestra to make its debut this year.
In addition to her high school teaching position, she conducted one of the seven orchestra ensembles for the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio and judged ensembles at various competitions. A violinist, she performed in the Corpus Christi Symphony and in the Victoria Symphony and spent a summer touring with the American Institute for Musical Studies (AIMS) in Graz, Austria.
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