“It means a lot to me, you know? It’s a big source of expression. It’s a way of performing and using music to do something unconventional that you normally wouldn’t do in a classroom,” says Lena Mende, a violinist and senior at Ida B. Wells High School. “It means a lot to connect with other people that way.”

IBW’s chamber orchestra consists of 14 students. Nine play the violin, one plays the viola, three play the cello and one plays the bass.

IBW tenth grade vice principal Scott Burns says the chamber orchestra brings an advanced level of skill and talent to IBW. “If anybody’s ever listened to our chamber orchestra, [they will see] that they are very talented musicians,” he says. “It [the class] provides an opportunity that we want students to take advantage of.” 

Although the number of competitors has been smaller than in past years, last school year, IBW’s chamber orchestra placed first in district competitions and eighth in state.

And yet, for the past several years, IBW’s chamber orchestra has faced the annual possibility of being cut. “I feel like the idea of not having an orchestra class has kind of been looming over us the whole time,” says Isaac Fisher, a cellist and junior at IBW. 

IBW’s chamber orchestra typically has 12 to 14 students. IBW principal Ayesha Coning says it is difficult to keep offering classes with fewer than 20 students, when 25 to 32 students is the “sweet spot” for class sizes. 

Coning says, “We have district leaders that are also looking at our classroom numbers, and they’re like ‘Ayesha, why are we running that class of under 20?’”

For the past five years, Margret Murer, who now volunteers as the chamber orchestra’s teacher, taught both chamber orchestra and AP music theory in the same period, as a blended class, to meet the class size minimum. She also taught IBW’s choir classes.  

However, at the end of the last school year, the chamber orchestra faced one of its biggest challenges in keeping the class alive when Murer announced her retirement. She had been teaching for 38 years. 

Additionally, the school district was in a year of budget restrictions. “[This] meant for Ida B. Wells, we had to reduce our staff,” says Coning. Between budget cuts and Murer’s retirement, the chamber orchestra faced the possibility of not continuing the next school year. 

But Murer was sure to find a way to keep the class. “There was an immediate endeavor [by Murer] to try and figure out how to make sure it happens,” says Burns. In collaboration with IBW band director Nick Caldwell, Murer found a way to keep the chamber orchestra as a class offering.

This school year, on paper, Caldwell is teaching the blended class of chamber orchestra and AP Music Theory, which is what Murer had previously done. But there is one caveat. Murer still teaches the chamber orchestra class as a volunteer. “I am volunteering to keep the orchestra program alive,” says Murer. “They deserve the best. They are talented. They are so excited and eager to learn.”

Coning is thankful a solution was found. She says she had to find ways to reduce some programs without actually losing a staff member. “It’s really teacher-driven,” says Coning. “[To] Mr. Caldwell and Ms. Murer, [I] want to give them a lot of credit, because they were, they were like, ‘we have to do this for our kids.’” 

Every first period, Murer comes to IBW as a volunteer to teach the chamber orchestra class in the choir room, while Caldwell teaches AP Music Theory in the band room. This means that Caldwell is the teacher listed on the chamber orchestra students’ schedules and transcripts, but Murer is still the one teaching and conducting them.

“It’s complicated,” says Mende. “It’s like a roundabout… but we’re still able to work in [the choir room]. Ms. M comes in… and then she helps us do our thing.”

Mende wishes Murer were recognized more for her role in the community. “It’s really important that we have her and [have] someone who’s helping keep it [orchestra] alive,” she says. 

District-wide, there are only two other orchestra programs, and one is only student-led. “There are talented kids here who need a place to be, who need to be feeling that their hard work and their dedication to the program is recognized,” says Murer. “I consider that worth fighting for.”

According to Mende, Murer works with the orchestra program at Grant High School, too. “They don’t have an orchestra teacher,” says Mende. “So Ms. M actually does help them, too, and sometimes she goes over there to help them. She’s always been around the city working for music… and young kids.” IBW’s chamber orchestra is planning on collaborating with Grant’s this coming spring.

Fisher says he wishes that Murer were paid for teaching them, but is glad that she can stay and keep the class. “I was kind of sad that is what had to happen… for the orchestra to stay,” he says. 

Chamber orchestra students also say they receive little recognition from the community. “I think it should matter to the school more,” says Fisher. “It’s a fun class for people who play orchestra instruments because there are not necessarily that many opportunities to play with groups,” he says. “It’s a fun community.”

However, the uncertainty has not fazed the group, who continue to foster a fun and light-hearted atmosphere. “[Sometimes] we have to organize things differently, but I don’t feel like it’s made that much of a difference,” says Fisher. 

Mende is excited for what the year brings. “I’m hoping to have a lot of fun with the new group—getting to know each other better and also learn to play more cohesively as a group,” she says. “We are also looking to go back to districts and state [competitions] this year.”

The group typically plays classical pieces, but they also find ways to change it up. In the fall, they played the Witch’s Dance, in honor of Halloween, where they also danced during the performance. Occasionally, they play pop songs and songs from musicals.

Along with the chamber orchestra’s regularly scheduled performances, the chamber orchestra also has the chance to perform at Portland Center Stage in December and the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in May. Their next concert at IBW is on December 17 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium.