You can hear the familiar strains even before you enter the classroom – the swirling, building crescendo of Mussorgsky’s “Night on Bald Mountain,” best known from Walt Disney’s Fantasia, flowing out of the orchestra rehearsal space. The Highlands chamber orchestra makes the symphonic noise of a group twice their size as the climax builds.

At the helm of this talented ensemble is orchestra teacher Meredith Reber, who guides the players with each wave of her hand. The Covid era was understandably hard for the orchestra, which of course depends upon one another to create a cohesive performance, but three years ago when Reber took the helm she pulled the musicians back together into a group once again.

Under Reber’s watch, the Fort Thomas Education Foundation has helped to supply the young musicians with new instruments to replace worn (or, as Reber calls them, “used and well loved”) ones. It also recently received a grant to help replace all the orchestra’s aged bass bows with all new, carbon-fiber replacements. “This provided our students with really high-quality bows that changed their sound,” says Reber. “We were really appreciative of that and the students are so excited about them.” SInce the orchestra program’s inception, the Education Foundation has given over $81,000 to the program.

“The quality of these new instruments gives the students even more of a sense of pride in them and shows how much the community and the Education Foundation cares about the quality of the music they’re making,” says Reber.

Reber’s wish list for the orchestra department includes additional lockers to keep larger instruments like cellos and basses or a practice space where small groups of soloists or musicians could practice pieces on their own. She says that having the backing of the Highlands family makes all the difference.

“So many parents and teachers in the community and the Education Foundation have reached out to me wanting to know what they can do to support the program and support the kids,” says Reber. “It makes my job here so much easier to have that support.”

Next up for Reber and the high school orchestra members will be a trip to New York City for a special audience with a conductor of the New York Philharmonic and a performance in the renowned St. Paul’s Cathedral. The orchestra’s first concert of the school year will be held at Highlands on October 17^th.

“With the help of the Education Foundation, the orchestra can see hope and love for the program, which is great,” says Reber. “It’s so inspiring to see the growth and appreciation for their instruments, their program and each other.”