For Music Students

ADULT STRINGS WINTER CONCERT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2025 @7:30PM

Beginner String Class for Adults

• Mondays, 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.
• Drew Sarette, instructor
• Fee: $175
• Scheduled to begin on Monday, August 18, 2025.
• Location: AB Stephens, 2828 Drake Ave. SW, Huntsville AL 35805

This course is designed for adults ages 18 – 180 who want the opportunity to learn to play the violin, viola, cello, or double bass. No previous experience is necessary! Students will be taught the fundamental skills necessary to play their instrument as well as the basics of note reading and musicianship. In this ensemble students will learn how to watch a conductor, watch their section leaders for bow direction and bow placement, blend their sound with a section, listen to fellow orchestra members in other sections, and much more.

Students must provide their own instruments and stands.

Intermediate String Class for Adults

• Mondays, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
• Bethany Wing, instructor
• Fee: $175
• Scheduled to begin on Monday, August 18, 2025.
• Location: AB Stephens, 2828 Drake Ave. SW, Huntsville, AL 35805

This course is designed for adults who have had at least one year playing experience on the violin, viola, cello, or double bass or who have taken the Beginning String Class. Students continue to develop their technical and note reading skills with more difficult music. This orchestra can also be used as a refresher course for those adults who played a stringed instrument in their youth and want to pick it back up again.

Students must provide their own instruments and stands.

Advanced String Class for Adults

• Mondays, 6:45-8:00 p.m.
• Bethany Wing, instructor
• Fee: $185
• Scheduled to begin on Monday, August 18, 2025.
• Location: AB Stephens, 2828 Drake Ave. SW, Huntsville, AL 35805

This course is designed for those adults who have at least two years’ playing and music-reading experience on the violin, viola, cello or double bass or who have taken the HSO Intermediate String Class. Students will continue to advance their technical skills on their instrument while learning to read more advanced music.

Students must provide their own instruments and stands.

Horizon Chamber Orchestra for Adults

• Tuesdays, 6:15-7:45 p.m.
• Bethany Wing, instructor
• Fee: $200
• Scheduled to begin on Tuesday, August 19, 2025.
• Location: AB Stephens, 2828 Drake Ave. SW, Huntsville, AL 35805

Horizon is HSO’s most advanced string orchestra, designed for adult players with at least three years of playing and music reading experience. Students perform literature from several periods of music. String players ready for this ensemble should be comfortable reading medium to advanced rhythms, be consistently working on playing in 3rd position, be comfortable following bow directions on music, and have a comfortable working vibrato.

Students must provide their own instruments and stands.

Adult Strings Concert

This is the event where you get to show off your new skills from your classes. Please note that participants must provide instruments and a music stand.

Tuesday, December 2, 2025

at The Cooper House at 405 Randolph Avenue, Huntsville, 7:30 p.m.

About the Faculty

Drew Sarette is a teacher and freelance violinist. Based in Huntsville, AL, he frequently performs with Huntsville Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Sul Ponticello, and Shoals Symphony Orchestra. He is passionate about Historical Performance, and performs on both Baroque and modern instruments.

Alongside performing, teaching is an equally important creative outlet. Drew maintains a private studio, serves as artistic director for the Huntsville Sinfonietta, and is engaged with the local Suzuki community. He has completed Suzuki teacher training units 1 – 10, and integrates Suzuki and traditional teaching to provide individualized instruction for students ranging in age from three to ninety.  He holds a Bachelor’s in Music from Samford University, and a Master’s in Music from the University of Louisville.

Bethany Wing is a violin and viola teacher in Madison, Alabama. She also instructs Novice Strings with the Huntsville Youth Orchestra. She has a BMUS in Music Education from the University of Georgia and an MA in Curriculum and Instruction from Tennessee Tech University.

What to Know About HSO Symphony School

Fees and Tuition

Fees and tuition are due before the first day of instruction and are payable at registration or before the first day. The Symphony School is dedicated to providing instruction to every student who is interested in learning. Financial aid information is available from the office.

Registration for private and semi-private instruction is for a 15-week semester. Tuition is due on or before the first day of instruction. Payment may be made in installments if needed. Accounts must be paid in full before registering for additional instruction. Payments may be made by cash, check, or major credit card. If you need other payment information, please contact the Director of Education at 256-539-4818 or email sharon@hso.org.

For special circumstances or financial aid information, please contact the Director of Education at (256) 539-4818 or sharon@hso.org.

Parent/Guardian Responsibility

For the safety of minors as well as adults, we ask that parents remain in the room while the lesson, whether private or semi-private, is taking place.

Being Prepared for Your Lessons

Students’ lesson time is set at a specific time. Please make sure your child arrives a few minutes early so that he/she may have time to get unpacked and ready for the lesson. Make sure your child is prepared when he/she arrives. This means having their music book, pencil, instrument, and, of course, a smile!

Discipline

We love teaching your child!  We love it even more when we can spend lesson time instructing and learning uninterrupted. If a discipline issue arises, we will deal with it during the lesson time. However, we would also hope to work with you, the parent, on how best to handle your child if a situation occurs.

Attendance and Make-up Policies

Tuition covers 15 weeks of instruction (weekly lessons). There will be a regular time scheduled and reserved for your lessons each week. 

• If an emergency causes the regular instructor to miss a class or lesson, without providing a substitute instructor, the lesson will be made up.
• Because of the number of students a single instructor has and their very set schedule, if you miss a group lesson due to sickness, it will not be made up.
• If schools close for weather or any other reason, all lessons for that day will be canceled. Lessons canceled for weather will be made up according to the instructor’s schedule.

Withdrawals and Refunds

100% of tuition (less 10%) will be refunded if withdrawal is received before the first day of class:

75% of the tuition (less 10%) will be refunded if withdrawal is received by:

NO REFUND for withdrawals after

Private Lessons

Get a more personal education experience with HSO private lessons. Private lessons are offered as 15-week semesters to music students 6 and up! Private lessons allow students to get the training they need and have the undivided attention of their instructor. When enrolled in lessons, please check the Symphony School Calendar for holidays and special events that may conflict with lesson times. All information about attendance, payments, withdrawal, etc. can be found in the Symphony School Policies. 

For more information on or to get enrolled in private lessons please email our Director of Education, Sharon Hicks. sharon@hso.org

Semi-private Classes

Two to seven students meet once a week for forty-five minutes. Students are grouped by age and ability.  If only one student is registered for a class, the lesson time changes from 45 minutes to 30 minutes. 

For more information on or to get enrolled in semi-private lessons please email our Director of Education, Sharon Hicks. sharon@hso.org

Faculty

Ariana Arcu – Private Cello Instruction

Wendy Corron – Third Grade Violin Program, After School and Private Violin Instruction

Jacob Frank – Third Grade Violin Program

Mark Huff – Third Grade Violin Program

Kristi Kargic – Third Grade Violin Program and Private Violin Instruction

Joseph Lester – Albertville Kinder Program and After School Program

Chris McDonald – Third Grade Violin Program, After School Instruction

Karen Mades – Third Grade Violin Program, After School Instruction

Susan Sadler – Third Grade Violin Program, Private Violin Instruction

Susan Mullen – Adult Horizon Chamber Orchestra

Bethany Wing – Adult String Class Instruction

Rental Resources 

Students must provide their own instruments for all private and semi-private lessons. If you are looking to rent the following sources may be helpful:

Huntsville Violins, Huntsville – 256.881.2863

Emiron Music, Decatur – 256.353.0772

Fret Shop, Huntsville – 256.539.8709

Hallman’s Music, Huntsville – 256.830.2303

Huntsville Strings Shop – 256.213.9977

Contact Information 

The Symphony School

Huntsville Symphony Orchestra

P.O. Box 2400

Huntsville, AL 35804-2400

Sharon Hicks, Director of Education sharon@hso.org

Phone: 256-539-4818

Fax: 256-539-4819