The school year is in full swing, and the Bearden Orchestra has been hard at work preparing for their annual fall concert, set to occur Thursday.

The concert will showcase a variety of musical genres, not just classical. This concert presents an opportunity to dismiss the idea that string orchestras are old-fashioned and only play classical music.

“I think [the audience] will be surprised to hear all the genres and styles of music that [the orchestra] plays,” orchestra director Mrs. Cynthia Wright said. “They’ll be excited to discover how enjoyable it is to sit back and listen.”

This semester, Mrs. Wright is joined by student teacher Ms. Caroline Farmer. Mrs. Wright and Ms. Farmer have been working together with the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestra for the past three years. Ms. Farmer is a dual major at the University of Tennessee, and she will graduate in December with degrees in musical education and musical performance.

The concert starts at 7 p.m. Admission is free, and the concert will last about an hour. The concert is open to the public, and all students, staff, and their families are invited to listen to performances by the freshman orchestra, the upperclassman orchestra, and the Chamber Orchestra.

Last year was the first for Bearden’s Chamber Orchestra, which is a smaller group of both freshmen and upperclassmen who play more advanced music.