In the past year, the orchestra program has received devastating blows causing the program to remain unstable with an uncertain future. Being the most underlooked fine art program in the school, stories and events go unheard. The past year for the Orchestra, a plethora of traumatic events have occurred. The Searcy High School Orchestra is one of eleven orchestra programs in the state, leaving the undecided fate of the program essential to our attention as Searcy would lose an asset of its arts program.

Earlier this year in January, former director Roshell Cobb got into a near fatal car crash. This left many students unsure of the director’s return to the program. As of recent news towards the start of the 2023-2024 year, the director had resigned, given the recent traumatic events. Cobb left a heartfelt letter of resignation two days before the school year started leaving the program uncertain of what is to come. Having slow progression in teaching, students still persevered throughout the mountain of adversity sent their way at the start of the year.

In a quick rush to save the program, music directors and school administrators gathered to find a qualified fit for the malnourished program. Director Michael Bridges was selected after two weeks of frantic searching. The program was afoot and was set up for a slow but sure recovery. Yet in a flash, the director had to shortly resign after an unknown incident. Leaving all the Orchestra students at a standstill in their learning.

“I didn’t think we were going to find anyone to teach us,” said Freshman Violinist Adalyn Howard. Orchestra students were continuously puzzled about the curriculum’s current position. The learning minds regressed, yet band director Jay Shepherd stepped up to the challenge, knowing that the Orchestra program was in his hands. 

“ We were all skeptical at first when the news dropped that a band director would be teaching Orchestra, two completely different courses. How could he ever do that?,” said Howard.

Shepherd saw a spark within the program that he knew he needed to keep alive. “Orchestra is a beautiful, sophisticated program. It would be a shame if Searcy were to lose such a program, so I knew I had to take control,” said the director. 

Former Orchestra Director Megan Guthrie- who introduced the program to Searcy Schools-gave a fire to this program that seemed nearly impossible to attempt to fuel. “ I fully believe that if we all work together, we can get this program back to when the Orchestra was in Guthrie’s hands,” said Shepherd. 

“And I will not stop being the director of this program until I see that recovery.” said Shepherd. The Orchestra program still has a long way to go, but with a new light, the program will surely see a revival.