Denton Homeschool Orchestra

Class Schedules

Find the current and future class schedules here, including important dates and exceptions.

Winter 2025 schedule (confirmed)

Important dates:

  • Classes start: Mon, January 13, 2025
  • No class: Mar 10-14, 2025 — Spring Break
  • No class: Wed, Apr 9, 2025 — MCO concert at Winspear Opera House
  • Concert: Thurs, May 1, 2025 7:00 PM @ The Recital Hall at UNT (confirmed)

Fall 2025 schedule (tentative)

Important dates:

  • Classes start: Mon, Sep 8, 2025
  • No class: Nov 24-27, 2025 — Thanksgiving break
  • Concert: Thurs, Dec 11, 2025 @ The Recital Hall at UNT (tentative)

Class Placement

Classes are determined by skill level and experience, not by age. Final placements are at the discretion of the conductor, but there is some room for flexibility and consideration of families and schedules. We’ll keep it an open conversation.

If your child is joining Denton HSO for the first time, and they want to join any ensemble other than beginner, we want to make sure they are placed in the ensemble that fits them best! You’ll be asked to send a video of your musician playing something — anything — that demonstrates their ability, plus a scale of their choice, if possible.

Class definitions

  • Beginner 1 — musicians for whom it is their very 1st semester of playing
  • Beginner 2 — musicians entering their 2nd semester of playing
  • Novice — musicians with 1 year of private lessons or at least 2 semesters of orchestra experience
  • Intermediate — musicians with 2-3 years of private lessons or orchestra experience
  • Advanced — musicians with 4+ years of private lessons or orchestra experience

Class Progression

All advancements are made based on skill, not strictly on time spent in a given ensemble. But in general, with sufficient home practice, after a musician has been in the beginner class for 2 semesters, they can expect to move to the Novice class. After 2 semesters in the Novice class they can expect to move up to the Intermediate class. Some musicians will need more time.

A musician may be invited by the conductor to move on to the next ensemble before the anticipated number of semesters has elapsed. This will depend on their demonstrated proficiency with the instrument, whether from natural musical inclination or through dedicated practice.