Highland High School’s Strolling Strings to Begin Annual 8-Week Community Tour
Highland High School’s Strolling Strings to Begin Annual 8-Week Community Tour
Music is going on the move as Highland High School’s Strolling Strings Orchestra begins its annual community tour, sharing engaging and memorable performances with audiences across the East Valley.
Comprised of 65 student musicians, including all grade levels from freshmen to seniors, Strolling Strings is an ensemble within Highland’s orchestra program. Unlike a traditional seated orchestra, students perform entirely from memory while incorporating movement, often walking through the audience while maintaining eye contact and smiling to create a more immersive and interactive concert experience.
“Strolling Strings is designed to be engaging in every way,” said Craig Ghormley, Director of Orchestras at Highland High School. “Students memorize their music, perform a wide range of styles, and connect directly with their audiences. It’s a different kind of performance, and a powerful learning experience for our students.”
Throughout the tour, students will perform one to two concerts each week over the next eight weeks, primarily at retirement communities and local venues throughout the area. The group’s performances will include approximately 30 minutes of music, featuring classical selections alongside Broadway favorites and popular music.
To prepare for the tour, students have met every day during the first semester of the school year, dedicating an hour each morning to rehearsals, memorization checks, and performance refinement. The ensemble also includes student pianists who audition to perform alongside the string orchestra.
The Strolling Strings program emphasizes collaboration, confidence, and mentorship. With nearly equal representation from freshmen through seniors, older students guide and support younger musicians, helping them navigate memorization, performance techniques, and rehearsal expectations. This peer mentorship allows students to learn from one another in ways that don’t always happen in traditional class settings, fostering leadership skills and stronger connections across grade levels.
“It’s special to see how quickly students, especially freshmen, grow in their confidence and skills,” added Ghormley. “They build relationships across grade levels, learn time management, and gain real-world performance experience, all while representing their school in the community.”
Strolling Strings has been a part of Highland High School since the campus first opened in 1993 and has maintained its status as a signature ensemble within the school’s orchestra program. For over 30 years, the ensemble has continued to combine musical excellence with memorized, mobile performances that bring students and audiences closer together.
Gilbert Public Schools is committed to providing students with high-quality performing arts experiences that encourage creativity, discipline, and excellence. Across the district, students have access to a wide range of music and theatre programs, including ensembles that study classical, world, jazz, and contemporary music, as well as drama courses that explore performance and technical production. Programs like Strolling Strings reflect the Gilbert Public Schools’ long-standing value of the arts as an essential part of a well-rounded education.
Community members interested in seeing Strolling Strings perform can attend Highland High School’s orchestra concert on February 26, where the ensemble will be featured as part of the evening’s program. Ticket information is available on Highland High School’s website at HighlandOrchestras.org.