About Our Program

The Frederick High School Orchestra Program has a place for all string musicians, whatever their goals may be. Director Kyle H. J. Liss, MME focuses on fostering a lifelong love of music-making as students pursue excellence. The program includes 6 ensembles:

• String Orchestra: a co-curricular group for 9th graders to further develop their skills and prepare them for 4 years of orchestra at FHS.
• Concert Orchestra: a non-auditioned co-curricular group for 10th – 12th graders to pursue their playing in a non-competitive environment.
• Symphonic Orchestra: an auditioned co-curricular group open to 9th – 12th graders that has received the highest possible rating at the American String Teachers Association State Festival, for students to pursue more advanced material.
  • Click here for Symphonic Orchestra Preparation Packets
• Pop Orchestra: a non-auditioned co-curricular group for 9th – 12th graders interested in exploring a diverse set of styles, including experimentation with electric instruments, improvisation, arranging, and learning by ear.
• Musical Theatre Pit Orchestra: an auditioned and/or interest-based group that has placed at the State level, providing the accompaniment for our yearly musical.
• Chamber Orchestra Club: an auditioned extracurricular club for students to learn very advanced string quartet repertoire. Gig opportunities included.

These amazing young artists have been doing great work over the last several years, with the program performing at four concerts throughout the year, the FHS Homecoming Parade, the Carbon Valley Empty Bowls Fundraiser, the Colorado Gifted & Talented Conference in Loveland, the American String Teacher’s Association (ASTA) festival in a variety of locations, and the Elitch’s Music Festival. A group of students from FHS has also historically volunteered to bring free after-school tutoring and lessons to Coal Ridge Middle School once a week. Under Mr. Liss’s direction the Symphonic Orchestra has been awarded the Superior rating (highest possible) at the ASTA Regional Festival on multiple occasions, has qualified for the ASTA State Festival twice, and has received the Superior rating at the State festival. Scroll down for a gallery of performances by the FHS Orchestra Program, and watch the first video for more information about our program and to hear from our students!

 

 

Director

Mr. Kyle Harrison Jirasek Liss

Mr. Liss is a music educator, string pedagogue, jazz pianist, and composer/producer originally from Chicago, IL. He holds a BA in Music, Jazz Studies emphasis from the Chicago College of Performing Arts, and a Master’s in Music Education from The University of Colorado Boulder. He has gigged as a professional musician in a wide variety of contexts since age sixteen; has composed eight albums worth of original material across many genres, styles, and instrumentations; and toured the U.S. with a band he booked and managed for seven years. He has been teaching since 2013, when he began his career in music education through private piano instruction. He moved to Colorado in 2017, and soon after took the position of Director of Orchestras at Frederick High School. Since then, he has overseen the growth of the string program from two to four orchestras; has earned a Superior rating at the American String Teacher’s Association (ASTA) Regional Festival with his auditioned Symphonic Orchestra on multiple occasions; and has helped the Symphonic Orchestra reach the State ASTA festival. In addition to serving as Director of Orchestras at FHS, he teaches Music Technology and Piano, and directs the Pit Orchestra for the yearly Musical, earning state-level recognition in 2018 for their production of Disney’s Newsies, with a performance at the Colorado Thespian Conference at the Bellco Theatre. He recently presented string research at the Colorado Music Educators Association Conference, and continues to compose, produce, and release music under the name KJ Liss, including a solo piano album of original compositions in 2018, and a lo-fi electronica single in 2019, both of which are available for streaming on all major platforms. Kyle is an avid believer in the importance and benefits of life-long music making, and is grateful for the opportunity to inspire young artists on their musical journey.