Statesmen Symphony grows, plans concert

Zeke La Mantia
Social Media Manager

Orchestra teacher Andrew Pulliam conducts in front of a class on Friday, Dec. 13. Photo by Zeke La Mantia

Statesmen Symphony will have a concert Feb. 6, at 7 p.m. in the Jerry R. Knight auditorium.

The purpose of the concert is not only to showcase what the students have been working on all semester but also to persuade the administrative board to make this a class next school year.

The activity started after the 2019-2020 school year began, so there was no way to put it into the already existing curriculum.

Junior Maeve Taylor plays violin and has been with the Strings program since age eight.

“Next year we’re hoping it’ll become a class and not just an out of school thing,” Taylor said.

Statesman’s Symphony is a group made of both orchestra and band members from the high school.

Entry is made possible by audition and rehearsal for the group is after school on Wednesdays and sometimes in the mornings.

Junior Ava Andrews plays violin and has played since age five outside of the Strings program.

“Everyone that plays an instrument should try out. It’s not like a cutthroat group,” Andrew said.

This year is the first time Webster Groves High School has had a full symphony orchestra, and it’s led by band director Jill Young and orchestra director Andrew Pulliam.

Although Young and Pulliam both direct for the Statesman Symphony, they have different fields of expertise.

Young has performed with many ensembles including Webster Symphony, St. Louis Wind Symphony, University City Symphony and Opera Theater of St. Louis.

Pulliam has a bachelor of music in education- K-12 instrumental and vocal certification and a masters in educational leadership.

“We want to be able to combine the best orchestra and band musicians and play real orchestral music like at the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and give our students that symphony experience,” Young said.

Webster is one of the few schools in St. Louis to have a full symphony orchestra.