Orchestra Director Andrew Jones and multiple Susquehannock Orchestra musicians made their way to Susquehanna University, as well as Lebanon Valley College, where they successfully performed with other districts across Central Pennsylvania on Nov. 1, 2, and 8. 

Freshman Allison Knauff and senior Kristin Martin performed five pieces of music along with other school districts including Berks, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lebanon, Lancaster and York County at Lebanon Valley College on Nov. 1 and 2.  

Violist Knauff valued her time at the LVC festival. 

“[It is] definitely an experience you want to do sometime in your life if you are a string player, ” Knauff said. 

 Knauff also shared how this festival can help musicians grow and learn to “prepare music quickly and work with new groups.” 

“It’s definitely a very good learning experience because of the strenuous amount of playing in a short amount of time,” Knauff said. “To be a principal violist, you need to be proficient in the music to be fully confident in helping the section, cueing entrances after rests, and communicating the section’s needs to the conductor and other sections in the orchestra.”

Junior Jacob Iwanowicz, sophomore Weylin Kane, freshman Allison Knauff, senior Kristin Martin, senior Noah Pohlig, sophomore Charles Schaffer, senior Jayden Sipe, sophomore Tracy Slemp, sophomore Logan Trimble and sophomore Bobby Wuhrman also performed at Susquehanna University on Nov. 8. 

This group of students performed with districts all around the Central Pennsylvania Region. 

These musicians were also able to put five pieces “together in a day and a half,” according to Jones. 

Junior Jacob Iwanowicz would “100% do it again,” referring to the Susquehanna University Honors Orchestra festival. 

 “If you can do it with a school district, … you get to meet other people you know, and you have a conductor that you like, … Zach Levi is a great conductor … you should do it,” Iwanowicz said.