KHS Symphonic Orchestra
Mrs. Fariga E. Drayton-Conway, Director
About Us
Symphonic Orchestra has been recognized as one of the premiere high school orchestral programs in the state of Missouri. Under the direction of Fariga Drayton-Conway and Sarah Klevorn (Concert Orchestra Director), the string program includes over 115 string students divided into two string orchestras (Concert and Symphonic Orchestras). The Symphonic Orchestra has been invited to and performed at the Missouri Music Educator's Association (MMEA) 7 times, most recently in 2017. The orchestra has performed since its founding in places such as Alice Tully Hall; Carnegie Hall; Orlando, FL; Dallas, TX; Chicago, IL; New York, NY; Atlanta, GA.
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Since its existence, the orchestra program has had the honor of having many fine music educators. Mr. Patrick Jackson served as director of orchestras for 26 years. Upon his retirement in 2017, Mrs. Fariga E. Drayton-Conway now directs this 60 member string orchestra.
Symphonic Orchestra's rich tradition of excellence encourages students to have the opportunity to explore music performance in a supportive, caring, and encouraging environment that holds its participants to high standards and high levels of
expectation of performance achievement. Orchestra students at the high school are exposed to a variety of literature, advanced performance techniques and musicianship, varied performance ensembles, and various performing situations. These will enable students to grow in their music-making abilities as string players and will enable growth and sensitivity to group dynamics, and leadership skills as young adults.
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SYMPHONIC ORCHESTRA an auditioned 9th-12th grade orchestra comprised of a subset of string students who attend Kirkwood High School. Symphonic is the most advanced level of string orchestra offered at Kirkwood High School. Students in Symphonic meet during the school day for 3-50 minute classes and 1-90 minute block class a week.
Symphonic performs 3 concerts yearly which include a Winter Concert in December; Festival of Strings in February and Spring Concert in April.
About Mrs. Drayton-Conway
At age 11, Mrs. Fariga E. Drayton-Conway began cello studies with former Kirkwood Orchestra Director Patrick Jackson. After graduating from Kirkwood High School in 1995, she went on to pursue her Bachelor’s Degree in Cello Performance from the University of Kentucky. She later completed her Music Education Certification from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.
Ms. Drayton-Conway’s teaching experience began in 2004 in the Alton School District (Illinois), where her ensembles received First Superior Ratings at both Large Ensemble Contest and Solo/Small Ensemble Festivals for seven consecutive years. During her tenure, she formed the Schumann Chamber Orchestra; a 20-piece honors ensemble. This ensemble annually competed and won the Six Flags Music in the Parks Festival Orchestral Division and was also featured at an Alternative Music Concert during the Illinois Music Educators Association Conference (ILMEA) and Clinic in 2011. In addition to her chamber orchestra, she has also directed the Alton Jr. Youth Symphony (4th-8th grades), the All-Suburban 7th/8th Grade Honors Orchestra (St. Louis, MO), the ILMEA District Jr. Honors Orchestra (Edwardsville, IL), the Southwest Missouri District Jr. Honors Orchestra (Joplin, MO), and the Alabama Orchestra Association Consort String Orchestra (University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL). She is the 2016 Nipher Middle School Teacher of the Year the recipient of the 2019 Missouri American String Teacher Association Secondary Educator of the Year Award.
Mrs. Drayton-Conway has over 30 years of performance experience in St. Louis, MO, and its surrounding areas. She has performed with the Transiberian Orchestra (St. Louis Strings), the New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players Midwest Tour, and the Southern Illinois Music Festival in Carbondale, IL featuring all of the Brandenburg Concertos. A former substitute cellist with the MUNY Orchestra ( 2012-2015), Ms. Drayton is currently principal cellist of the Gateway Festival Orchestra. Ms. Drayton has also been a featured soloist with Belleville Philharmonic, University City Symphony, and the Gateway Festival Orchestra.
This is Mrs. Drayton’s nineteenth year teaching publicly, and her eleventh year in the Kirkwood School District (Kirkwood, MO), teaching Beginning Strings (cello) and the director for the Nipher Middle School and Kirkwood High School Symphonic Orchestra. Both middle school and high school ensembles have received overall Superior/Exemplary Ratings at Local and State Large Group Festivals..
Her Nipher Middle School Orchestra was selected out of 31 orchestras to perform at the 2014 Missouri Music Educator's Association(MMEA) in January 2014. In March 2014, they applied and were selected out of over 160 orchestral applicants to perform at the prestigious and historic Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference in December 2014. They were one of three middle school orchestras and one of thirteen orchestras selected worldwide. Nipher is the first ensemble in the Kirkwood School District to ever participate at this prestigious event. In March 2016, the orchestra was invited to perform at the Nation Youth Orchestra (Director's Choice) at Carnegie Hall in New York. Nipher Orchestra was the youngest group and the only string orchestra group to perform in a 30-minute concert. The orchestra received many compliments as well as 3 standing ovations.
