The 51st Annual Fall Festival for Strings, also known as String Fest, is one of the largest music events in AISD and took place on Nov. 19, 2025. Approximately 1000 students and their teachers come from across the district to perform simple songs together. This event allows the oldest students in the district to impart their years of experience on the next generation of musicians before graduating.
It is a mandatory event for all beginning orchestra students, typically sixth graders, and all senior orchestra students. LASA orchestra seniors take a field trip in November to help teach beginners and perform alongside them.
LASA’s orchestra director, Rachel Horvitz, takes LASA seniors to String Fest every year. She provides them with a schedule, sheet music, and chaperones them to the festival.
“I just cheer them on,” Horvitz said. “Our students really embrace that role of being teachers and mentors to their peers, even if they’re sixth graders.”
Revesz will be returning this year as a senior. No longer a beginner, it is now her responsibility to teach and assist during the festival.
Many seniors who attend String Fest also attended as sixth graders. Violist Charlotte Revesz attended String Fest as a beginner in 2019.
“I really enjoyed it,” Revesz said. “I grew up playing piano, so I had a bit of a music background, but it was really nice to go back to some of the basics with some of my friends and things as we started on a completely different instrument, and just seeing the huge group. At that time, it was at the Performing Arts Center, so the whole stage was filled with the cello and basses, and [the violas and violins] were out in the auditorium.”
“Honestly, I’m really looking forward to it,” Revesz said. “I think it’ll be sweet to see. Kind of a full circle moment, as much as anything. It’ll be nice to see the sixth graders and be like, ‘oh we were once there and playing those easy things, and now we’re doing all kinds of harder Tchaikovsky or whatever at this point.’”
The Fall Festival for Strings took place at the Delco Activity Center this year. Samantha Stewart is the emcee for the event and director for Bedicheck Middle School.
“It is mandatory, and I think that is a good thing,” Stewart said. “I think it’s important to do events cross district, and have a goal for all of the beginners. The students always have fun going on a field trip and spending time with their friends.”
Seniors and directors perform alongside the middle schoolers. They also assist the beginners tune and set up.
“It can be a little hectic,” Horvitz said. “Again, the kids are really good about taking that initiative to be like ‘hey, can I help you find your place,’ or ‘hey, let me help you carry that.’ All those things that we do for each other also in our own concert setting: helping people find their way, helping people with materials. But of course, that’s really, really needed on that scale when it’s so many people, and they’re sixth graders just starting out.”
This year, the song list was changed to streamline the difficulty levels across instruments. They performed ten songs, including “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and “Hot Cross Buns,” to practice different musical techniques. Their finale song will be “French Folk Song.”
“String fest is such an amazing experience for all of the beginner string players,” Stewart said. “I think it is awesome that all of the teachers teach the same curriculum and all of the students are able to come together to play. I also think it’s a wonderful opportunity for students to see other players from other schools.”
