ASE, or After School Ensemble, is a club for orchestra students after school in the orchestra room. This club provides an opportunity for students who play in the orchestra to experience playing with older students or students at a higher level than they are.

Another upside to this club is they get to play music that they wouldn’t otherwise play in class. In ASE the music that is chosen is a variety of Disney soundtracks to pop hits which is what sets the club apart from the orchestra classes. In orchestra the pieces used are usually of the classical variety. Along with actually playing that music though the students are taught about the era’s the music comes from and how it has evolved today. They also have the opportunity to learn how the music was formed in the past so as to better understand the music they play now. This in comparison to ASE which is simply playing the music that we choose for the fun of it. The students learn to play different styles of music, such as: Disney music, Jazz, Musicals, rock, Pop, ect. This is done with the hope that playing in this manner will grow their perception and interpretation skills of music that they might play in the future.

The students also get to participate in this with the other students from different levels of the orchestra world. Chamber, the highest level of orchestra, students and concert, Freshman, students will get to play at the same level during this time. During concerts they will often have some random pieces that are combined with the other orchestras, but with ASE instead of playing in separated groups to best fit the concert order, the students may sit wherever and intermix the different levels of playing skills.

This after school orchestra program is the perfect time for the music students to bond and perform together without the separation of skill level. ASE is a fun, new way for students to get to experience new music and styles that they wouldn’t otherwise get to experience.