About Us

The Carmel High School Orchestra program has the honor of being recognized as one of the leading public school orchestra programs in the United States. Under the direction of Thomas Chen, Nicole DeGuire, and Margaret Hite, the program includes over 300 string students divided into five string orchestras (Concert G1, Concert G3, Sinfonia, Festival, and Camerata) and two full orchestras (Symphony and Philharmonic). The Symphony Orchestra has been named Indiana State School Music Association’s Concert Orchestra State Champion 18 times, most recently in 2016. The orchestra has toured and performed all over the world including places such as Alice Tully Hall; Carnegie Hall; St. Petersburg, Russia; Vienna, Austria; and Orlando, Florida. The Symphony Orchestra has professionally recorded and produced five full-length symphonies of Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, and Dvorak, which have been released on CD and on iTunes. Finally, the orchestras have collaborated with many prominent musicians, including cellist Lynn Harrell, violinist Rachel Barton Pine, conductor Larry Livingston, violinist David Kim, and many musicians from the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.

Over its 39-year existence, the orchestra program has had the honor of having many fine music educators at the helm of the division. Mr. Tom Dick served as director of orchestras for 15 years. Upon his retirement, Mr. Andrew King took the position until 2007, when he became the director of the Purdue University Orchestras. Dr. Soo Han, Director of Orchestras at George Mason University, directed the program from 2007-2016. Elisabeth Ohly-Davis led the program from 2016-2020 before taking the orchestra director position at Burris Laboratory School, a division of Ball State University.