Welcome to Walton Orchestra

George Walton Comprehensive High School
Marietta, Georgia
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Since Walton High School opened in 1975, the Walton Orchestra has established a tradition of excellence.  The orchestra is under the direction of its eighth director, Dr. Perry Holbrook , who was named Director of Orchestras at Walton in 2001.  Since 2003, he has been assisted by Rebecca Dosch.  Together, they provide a comprehensive string education for 236 orchestra students on a daily basis.

Orchestra students from Walton High School are delighted to be performing at the 62nd annual Midwest Clinic in December 2008. Two string quartets and a pianist from the Walton Chamber Music Society have secured this honor.  This is the third time Walton students have been invited to perform at this prestigious event.

The orchestras of Walton maintain an active performing schedule.  In the spring of 2007, the combined Walton Orchestras traveled to Europe for a ten-day concert tour during which the orchestra performed at the Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna, Smetana Hall in Prague, and at the University of Berlin. 

In 2006, the Walton Sinfonia performed at the Georgia Music Educators Convention, marking the fourth time this honor has been extended to an orchestra from Walton High School.  In 2005, the Walton Philharmonia performed at the 59th annual Midwest Clinic.

In the spring of 2004, the combined Walton Orchestras traveled to Austria for a 10-day concert tour.  The tour included performances in Vienna, Salzburg, and Graz.

In 2003, the Walton High School Philharmonia performed in Savannah, Georgia for the Music Educators National Conference Southern Division Convention.  In 2002, the orchestras presented a performance for 12,000 school board members at the National School Board Association Convention in New Orleans . At this event, they shared a program with Archbishop Desmond Tutu. 

The orchestras of Walton have become involved in community outreach programs.  In recent years, they have helped organize and performed at two benefit concerts.  One concert with the Band and Chorus helped raise over $7,000 for the September 11 fund. A second  concert, “Over The Rainbow”, honored a Walton High School student’s ongoing fight against cancer.  $8,000 in proceeds from this concert was donated to the Brain Tumor Foundation for Children and other Children’s Cancer Charities. 

The orchestras receive a tremendous amount of encouragement and support from their parental volunteers, the Walton community, and the administration of Walton.