James Gross has led and run The Orchestra at South for over a decade, and he could not be any prouder of his students who have stuck to learning such a complicated yet beautiful skill as he once did.

“I started on violin as a youngster in the Suzuki Method after hearing a Sunday School classmate play her violin in 1975,” Gross said.

And yet, as the school year comes to a close like it tends to do, an entire new class of students will once again emerge. Fourth-year students like Brenna Goodman, who has played the violin since 5th grade, are now transitioning into adulthood and, like many others, is ready to march to her own rhythm.

But of course, not leaving without a bang. “Both the Concert Orchestra and Symphony Orchestra earned Division I Superior ratings at MSBOA District XVI Band & Orchestra Festival on Friday, Mar. 1 at Saint Clair Shores Lakeview High School,” Gross said.

Goodman is looking forward to and has been preparing along with the rest of the orchestra for their upcoming South String Concert and showcase that will take place at Brownell on March 22nd.

“What’s nice is that the rehearsals are in one class period of the day,” Goodman said. “At this time of the year, we are getting music ready for our Spring concert in May.”

Goodman says with performances like a State Solo rehearsals do begin to pick up especially at this time.

“As for next year I would love to join an orchestra at the college I will decide to go to,” Goodman said. “I think it would be great to keep playing in an orchestra.”