Minnetonka High School Orchestra Program

The orchestra program at Minnetonka High School involves nearly 160 orchestra students in grades 9 -12 and has more than doubled since 2008 under the amazing direction of Ms. Finn-Sommerfeld.  The program now has FIVE orchestras and several chamber ensembles that meet outside of school. The orchestras travel frequently and have participated in festivals and instrumental music performances in such places as Hawaii, San Diego, San Francisco, New York, Chicago, L.A, and international destinations such as Puerto Rico, Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Spain. 

Traveling with their Orchestra to other states and countries is an experience that should be available to all students. Travel Study scholarships are available from the Boosters during travel years.  2027-28 is the next travel year. 

Director: Sarah Finn-Sommerfeld

Sarah Finn-Sommerfeld is currently the Director of High School Orchestras for Minnetonka Public Schools. She teaches over 200 orchestra students in grades 9-12, advises chamber orchestras and other ensembles for students, along with various other school groups, is a founding member of the Equity Team at MHS, and is Music Department Chair. Sarah was the recipient of the Minnetonka School District’s Celebration of Excellence Award for Child-Centered Teaching in 2016. In addition, she received the Minnesota String and Orchestra Teachers Association Master Teacher Award in 2023.

Education

Sarah graduated from Concordia University – St. Paul with a Specialist degree in Educational Administration in 2017.  Prior to that, she completed her Master’s Degree in Education through Concordia in 2009. Sarah’s undergraduate degree is from the University of WI – Eau Claire. She graduated in 2002 with a degree in Music Education with String Emphasis. She studied violin under Mark Bjork and Nobuyoshi Yasuda.

Sarah previously worked in the School District of Janesville, WI for three years, teaching grades 6-12 at three schools. During those years, she also ran a private studio, directed a strolling strings group, and co-created the Rock Prairie Youth Orchestra with Dr. Jeff Suarez. Following this, she moved to Minnesota and began teaching middle and high school orchestra in the Minnetonka School District. As the program expanded under her baton, she moved to teach at Minnetonka High School only.

While under the direction of Sarah, the Minnetonka High School Orchestra program was the recipient of the Meritorious Orchestra Program Award, through the local chapter of the American String Teachers Association, the Minnesota String Teachers Organization.

Director: Dr. Emily Heuschele

Emily Heuschele directs Minnetonka High School's Orchestra 9 and also teaches orchestra at Minnetonka Middle School West. Prior to joining Minnetonka Public Schools, she taught orchestra grades 5-12 in Chippewa Falls, WI and 6-12 in Eau Claire, WI, where she redesigned the beginning string curriculum, incorporated composition and improvisation, and created eclectic string ensembles. She worked as an Arts TOSA for Minneapolis Public Schools, supporting arts integration, community arts partnerships, and professional development. Most recently, she has served on the faculty of the University of Minnesota School of Music, teaching music education methods and supervising student teachers. Throughout her career, she has remained active in her communities as a performer, adjudicator, and clinician, and she presents regularly on string education topics at the local, state, and national levels.

Education

Dr. Heuschele earned a Bachelor’s of Music Education from the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire and a Master’s of Music and Ph.D. in Music Education from the University of Minnesota. Her primary violin teachers were Marilyn Bos, Nobuyoshi Yasuda, and David Perry. She also studied string pedagogy through the String Development program and the National String Workshop at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She completed registered Suzuki training books 1-4 through graduate study with Mark Bjork and through the summer American Suzuki Institute in Steven’s Point, WI. She uses comprehensive string pedagogy to support the development of creative, healthy musicians in a multitude of styles.

MHS Orchestra Program Accomplishments:

In 2013 the Symphony Orchestra and Concert Orchestra (both grades 10-12) traveled to L.A., CA to perform in the Heritage Music Festival there. Concert Orchestra received a silver rating and came in 3rd place for orchestral performances. Symphony Orchestra received a gold rating and came in first place for orchestra performance, first place for overall best instrumental ensemble, and first place for the best overall high school performance in the festival.

Each year, we participate in the MMEA All-State honor orchestra program and in the MSHSL State Solo and Ensemble contest – Most Minnetonka orchestra students receive superior and excellent ratings.

The MHS Chamber Orchestra has received a superior rating (the highest rating) Stat Solo/Ensemble Contest for orchestra students.

Several orchestra students participate in other orchestra activities both in the school and community. Examples include private lessons, Pit Orchestra for both the high school and community theatre productions, and the area youth symphony programs Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies – (GTYCS) and Minnesota Youth Symphony Orchestras – (MYSO) in the area, which are of the highest quality – their top groups perform professional literature at a very high level.