The East Ridge Orchestra program offers three curricular orchestral ensembles as part of East Ridge High School's comprehensive music program. String Orchestra is open to all incoming 9th grade string players and is a non-audition based ensemble. Concert Orchestra is an intermediate ensemble and comprised primarily of 10-12th graders, but is open to 9th graders by audition. Symphony Orchestra is an advanced ensemble offering student musicians an opportunity to play both string and full orchestra repertoire. Placement in the Symphony Orchestra is by audition and is primarily comprised of 11th and 12th grade musicians, but open to all ERHS string players by audition.
About the Director, Mrs. DeMorett
Mrs. DeMorett is the Director of Orchestras at East Ridge High School. She joined the South Washington County Orchestra team in the fall of 2010 when the district orchestra program grew to include high school. At that time, she was Director of Orchestras at Woodbury, Park and East Ridge High Schools with a beginning group of 26 students district wide! The high school orchestra program nearly doubled in size each year after and two additional orchestra teachers were hired in 2014 to take over the Woodbury and Park programs, while Mrs. DeMorett remained at East Ridge. Prior to coming to District 833, she was the director of middle and high school orchestras in the Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose School District and was interim director of the Mankato Area Youth Symphony's North Star Strings. In addition to working with ensembles, she has extensive experience teaching private and group string and woodwind lessons. Mrs. DeMorett holds a BM in Oboe performance, M.Ed. in Learning and Technology and a M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction.
As the daughter of a music educator, she began violin in first grade and added an instrument nearly each year after. She played violin, viola and cello in her school orchestra program, beginning in 2nd grade. She also played alto and tenor saxophones in her HS Jazz Ensemble, oboe in band/orchestra and flute/clarinet in marching and pep bands.
In addition to participating in school orchestra and band programs, Mrs. DeMorett was selected to the All-State Orchestra and Band for three years on both violin and oboe/English horn and was selected to study oboe at Boston University's Tanglewood Institute in 1998. She has held positions as section Viola, 1st and 2nd Violin, English Horn/Oboe d'Amore and Principal Oboe of the Mankato Symphony Orchestra, Associate Concertmaster of the Buffalo Community Orchestra and was a guest oboist in 2012 with the East Metro Symphony Orchestra, performing Francaix's The Flower Clock.
Mrs. DeMorett holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Wisconsin- Madison, where she played in the Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Concert and Symphonic Bands, All-University String Orchestra, Collegium Musicum, Con Zelo Woodwind Quintet and Contemporary Chamber Ensemble. During this time she also was an assistant and audition adjudicator for the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras. Principal violin/viola teachers include Adrian Lo (Gustavus Adolphus College) and Charles Gray (St. Olaf College). She also pursued advanced graduate level conducting studies with Dr. Harry Dunscombe and is currently finishing a M.Ed. in Learning and Technology from Western Governors University.
Mrs. DeMorett is an audition adjudicator for the Minnesota Music Educators Association's All-State Band/Orchestras and has served as an oboe section coach for the MMEA All-State Bands for a number of years. She is also a member of the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphony Orchestra's teacher advisory council and has led sectional rehearsals for a number of ensembles in the Twin Cities area.
Mrs. DeMorett lives in Cottage Grove with her husband Scott, three daughters Madelyn (8), Emmalyn (6) and Brooklyn (2) and their two "fur babies" Charlie and Sophie. Mrs. DeMorett also enjoys coaching figure skating in Woodbury and Hastings.
Mrs. DeMorett is the Director of Orchestras at East Ridge High School. She joined the South Washington County Orchestra team in the fall of 2010 when the district orchestra program grew to include high school. At that time, she was Director of Orchestras at Woodbury, Park and East Ridge High Schools with a beginning group of 26 students district wide! The high school orchestra program nearly doubled in size each year after and two additional orchestra teachers were hired in 2014 to take over the Woodbury and Park programs, while Mrs. DeMorett remained at East Ridge. Prior to coming to District 833, she was the director of middle and high school orchestras in the Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose School District and was interim director of the Mankato Area Youth Symphony's North Star Strings. In addition to working with ensembles, she has extensive experience teaching private and group string and woodwind lessons. Mrs. DeMorett holds a BM in Oboe performance, M.Ed. in Learning and Technology and a M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction.
As the daughter of a music educator, she began violin in first grade and added an instrument nearly each year after. She played violin, viola and cello in her school orchestra program, beginning in 2nd grade. She also played alto and tenor saxophones in her HS Jazz Ensemble, oboe in band/orchestra and flute/clarinet in marching and pep bands.
In addition to participating in school orchestra and band programs, Mrs. DeMorett was selected to the All-State Orchestra and Band for three years on both violin and oboe/English horn and was selected to study oboe at Boston University's Tanglewood Institute in 1998. She has held positions as section Viola, 1st and 2nd Violin, English Horn/Oboe d'Amore and Principal Oboe of the Mankato Symphony Orchestra, Associate Concertmaster of the Buffalo Community Orchestra and was a guest oboist in 2012 with the East Metro Symphony Orchestra, performing Francaix's The Flower Clock.
Mrs. DeMorett holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Wisconsin- Madison, where she played in the Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Concert and Symphonic Bands, All-University String Orchestra, Collegium Musicum, Con Zelo Woodwind Quintet and Contemporary Chamber Ensemble. During this time she also was an assistant and audition adjudicator for the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras. Principal violin/viola teachers include Adrian Lo (Gustavus Adolphus College) and Charles Gray (St. Olaf College). She also pursued advanced graduate level conducting studies with Dr. Harry Dunscombe and is currently finishing a M.Ed. in Learning and Technology from Western Governors University.
Mrs. DeMorett is an audition adjudicator for the Minnesota Music Educators Association's All-State Band/Orchestras and has served as an oboe section coach for the MMEA All-State Bands for a number of years. She is also a member of the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphony Orchestra's teacher advisory council and has led sectional rehearsals for a number of ensembles in the Twin Cities area.
Mrs. DeMorett lives in Cottage Grove with her husband Scott, three daughters Madelyn (8), Emmalyn (6) and Brooklyn (2) and their two "fur babies" Charlie and Sophie. Mrs. DeMorett also enjoys coaching figure skating in Woodbury and Hastings.
