Avon High School Orchestras

BRAVO TUTTI!!!
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Bravo Lydia and Colista!!!

Two AHS Musicians are All-State Two Avon High School musicians auditioned and made it into the 2024 Indiana All-State Orchestra, indicating that they are among the most talented high school players in the state. They will rehearse and perform at the Indiana Music Educator's Convention in January.

WOW! Bravo!!!

Very exciting news for the Avon Orchestras!!! Please help us welcome Mrs. Carmen Smith and Mr. John McCaffrey to Avon! Many thanks to Mr. Ziolkowski and Mrs. Easterday for their years of service and best wishes to them on their new journeys.

YES!!!!

Another exciting announcement for our Avon Team!

Avon Bands are proud to announce Mr. Matt Harloff as the Director of Bands at Avon High School. Congratulations!

It is our extreme pleasure to announce that Mrs. Carmen Smith will be joining the Avon Orchestra staff starting this fall and will be the director of orchestras at Avon Middle School North. Mrs. Smith is an outstanding teacher and violinist, and we are so happy to have her join the team here in Avon. Welcome Mrs. Smith! Check out her bio below:

Carmen Smith brings an array of experiences directing High School and Middle School Orchestra programs, conducting Youth Orchestras, guest conducting, adjudicating, and leading an Orchestral Department at the University level.
Smith served as conductor of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra where she led nine seasons of concerts, successful tours, and was selected to perform at the WMEA Conference. During her tenure at UWW she also taught studio violin and supervised student teachers who are now teaching music throughout the country. During that time, she performed violin in the faculty piano trio, string quartet, as well as the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra. Carmen is a champion of new music and has commissioned a number of original works for her orchestras. Mrs. Smith has led award winning High School and Middle School Orchestras in Texas and Colorado, and her orchestra was awarded 1st place at the 2014 ASTA National Orchestra Festival.
Smith has enjoyed a rich career including being nominated for the Grammy Educator Award and Teacher of the Year. Her orchestras are known for their energetic and focused performances and have won many awards. She conducted in the Central Illinois Youth Symphony from 1995-1998 and has served as guest conductor for Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra and served as a conductor in the Denver Young Artists Orchestras from 2015-2019. Mrs. Smith has served as conductor for numerous honor orchestras throughout the United States and as Secretary for the Colorado and Indiana ASTA Board of Directors.
Mrs. Smith earned her Masters in Orchestral Conducting as a student of Donald Schleicher at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana and her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. She is excited to begin serving as Orchestra Director at Avon North Middle School in Avon, Indiana. Having witnessed the profound impact music has on individuals and the world, Smith has a driving passion to develop musical talent in young people.

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Avon High School Orchestras Avon Middle School North and South Orchestra Avon Intermediate East Orchestra - Avon, IN

Make YOUR plan to come support ALL of these AMAZING Avon Student Performing Artists Saturday as they represent OUR Community at ISSMA State Finals!!!

Congratulations to the 2023 ISSMA State Orchestra Finalists!!! State Orchestra Finals are Saturday, May 6th at the Pike HS Performing Arts Center. Admission is $5 and a hand stamp gets you into Orchestra, Band, and Choir State Finals!

8:45 AM AVON!!!
9:20 AM North Central
9:55 AM Floyd Central
10:30 AM Carmel
11:15 AM Brownsburg
11:50 AM Fishers
12:25 PM Penn
1:00 PM Elkhart
1:45 PM Awards

Congrats to our AMAZING friends in Avon Indoor on their WGI Championship! Bravo Tutti!!!
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We LOVE our Avon Percussionists!!!
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Congrats to our amazing Philharmonic Orchestra for their Gold Medal With Distinction performance at ISSMA Contest! Bravo!!!

Gold Medal performance for the Avon Intermezzo Orchestra at ISSMA Contest! Bravo!!!

Congratulations to the Avon Middle and Intermediate School Orchestras on their outstanding Gold Medal performances! A heartfelt congratulations to every student and to our wonderful directors - Mr. Ziolkowski, Mr. Miller, Mrs. Easterday, and Ms. Barnett! Our future is bright!!!

Avon's 6th- through 8th-Grade Orchestras are Golden Orchestra groups from AIS East, AIS West, AMS North, and AMS South all earned Gold ratings from the ISSMA organizational contest on March 10 and 11.

Meet our Musicians 🎶

Robert Goodlett II has been with the ISO since 1972! He is currently the longest serving member of the orchestra.

He received his B. M. degree in organ and church music from the University of Louisville and his M.M. in contrabass performance from Indiana University. He has studied with Murray Grodner, Gary Karr, Larry Hurst, Warren Benfield and Julius Levine. Prior to joining the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1972, he played four seasons with the Louisville Orchestra.

In addition to his performing duties, he teaches many private students through the Quattro String Academy, which he and his wife, Chin Mi Kim (a violinist) formed in 2009. He also serves as a section coach in the ISO’s Side by Side concerts. He was the recipient of an Artist Renewal Grant from the Indianapolis Arts Council in 2003. The father of three sons, Goodlett has been a coach, official and administrator for several soccer programs around Indianapolis and is the former organist/choirmaster at All Saints Episcopal Church. Away from music he is an avid bicyclist.

The Avon Symphony went to see THE Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra tonight! Mahler 1 was brilliant and our students had a meet and greet with ISO members and the guest conductor! Bravo Tutti!!!

NEXT Thursday!!! QR Link to order tickets below and tickets are going FAST! $5

Awesome opportunity for students!!!

High School Musicians: Apply by October 1 for Music for All’s 2023 Honor Band of America, Honor Orchestra of America, and Jazz Band of America. Learn more at festival.musicforall.org/honorensembles

Thank YOU to the Avon Community Schools Corporation Board of Trustees for recognizing the Avon Symphony Orchestra’s third State Championship!

Can I be involved in athletics AND Performing Arts at Avon HS?! Ask Violinist Matt Maranan and Choir/Show Choir/Trombonist Cooper Trigg! Both playing in the Hendricks County Tournament today for our Varsity Golf Team!

Congratulations to Mr. Ziolkowski and the Avon MS North and South Orchestras on an outstanding set of concerts! Our future is so bright! ❤️🎵

Celebrating a State Championship with THE Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and Mahler 5!!!

Congrats to the Avon Symphony Orchestra and ALL the State Finalists! Honored to be named ISSMA 2022 Orchestra State Champions. The true winner today was an audience that saw 8 spectacular performances!!!

Fantastic final evening rehearsal for the Avon Symphony Orchestra! We perform at ISSMA State Finals Saturday at 8:45 AM at the Pike HS Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $5 and a hand stamp gets you into ALL State Finals Events!

Congratulations to the 2022 ISSMA Orchestra State Finalists! Finals take place Saturday, May 7th at the Pike HS Performing Arts Center. Admission is $5 dollars and a hand stamp gets you into Orchestra, Band, and Choir State Finals!

8:45 AM - AVON!!!
9:20 AM - Noblesville
9:55 AM - Fishers
10:30 AM - Floyd Central
11:15 AM - North Central
11:50 AM - Carmel
12:25 PM - Hamilton Southeastern
1:00 PM - Crown Point

Can’t let Administrative Professionals Day end without a social media shoutout to the Avon Performing Arts “Chief of Staff, Cathy Klemmensen! Cathy is the BEST!!! ❤️

WOW!!!

Avon World Percussion! 2022 WGI Scholastic World Class Champions!!! You make us SO VERY proud!

Congrats to the Avon Philharmonic and Intermezzo Orchestras! Fantastic performances earning Gold “With Distinction” at ISSMA Contest today! Bravo!!!

We LOVE our Avon World Drumline!!!

Throwback Thursday! Enjoy the 2018 Avon Symphony Orchestra’s State Finals performance of Bizet’s “Farandole” conducted by Matt Harloff!

Bizet: Farandole from L'Arlesienne Suite No. 2 Avon High School Symphony OrchestraMatt Harloff, ConductorISSMA Orchestra State FinalsMay 5, 2018Georges BizetThe Avon High School Symphony Orchestra was nam...

Avon Senior Symphony Orchestra Violinist Sarah Stoutamyer tuning the MFA Symposium Orchestra in front of a packed house this morning!

‪Love our Avon Violas! Making beautiful music at the MFA Summer Symposium!!!

Ready for an amazing week at the Music for All Summer Symposium!!!

‪Watching Carolina Crown Hall of Fame Class of 2017 Member and our very own Mr. Harloff work his magic with the Avon Marching Black & Gold today! Congrats Mr. Harloff! We are SO proud of YOU!!!