top of page

Awards & Honors

Since 1987:

​​

  • Superior Rating in grade VI earned by the top CHS Orchestra in each District Festival performance

  • ​Performed by invitation at five Virginia Music Education Conferences

  • Sales of three CHS Orchestra CD’s have topped $50,000

​

2023 - Worldstrides Heritage Festival of Music in Orlando

  • 2A Orchestra Division Champions with a Gold Rating, 3A Orchestra Division Champions with a Gold Rating, Two Adjudicator Awards, Outstanding Orchestra , Maestro Award earned by Lucia Elbaum, Instrumental Sweepstakes Earned, Invitation extended to both orchestras to participate in next year’s Festival of Gold

​

2022

  • Two Gold Medals, First Place AA, First Place AAA, Two Adjudicators’ Awards, Outstanding Orchestra Award, and Instrumental Sweepstakes, WorldStrides Heritage Festival of Music in Williamsburg

2019:

  • Two Gold Medals, Outstanding Orchestra Award, Two Adjudicators’ Awards, and Instrumental Sweepstakes, and overall Grand Championship, WorldStrides Heritage Festival of Music in Atlanta

2018:

  • Two Gold Medals, First Place in AA Division, First Place in AAA Division, Two Adjudicators’ Awards, Outstanding Orchestra Award, two Adjudicators’ Awards, and Instrumental Grand Championship, WorldStrides Heritage Festival of Music in Orlando

2017:

  • Two Superior Ratings, First Place in Division V, First Place in Division VI,  Soloist Awards, Adjudicator Award, Overall Orchestra Champions, and Overall Grand Champions, Williamsburg Fiesta-Val

2016:

  • Two Superior Ratings, First Place in Division V, First Place in Division VI, six Soloist Awards, Adjudicator Award, Overall Orchestra Champions, and Overall Grand Champions, Nashville Fiesta-Val

2015:

  • Two Gold Medals, Second Place in AA Division, Second Place in AAA Division, Two Adjudicators’ Awards, and Maestro Award, WorldStrides Heritage Festival of Music in Boston

2014:

    • Two Gold Medals, First Place in AA Division, First Place in AAA Division, Two Adjudicators’ Awards, Outstanding Orchestra Award, two Adjudicators’ Awards, Maestro Award, and Instrumental Grand Championship, WorldStrides Heritage Festival of Music in Annapolis

  • CHSO String Ensemble performed in Chartres Cathedral, the American Cathedral in Paris, and in Charlottesville’s sister city of Besançon, France

2013:

  • Two Gold Medals, First Place in AA Division, Second Place in AAA Division, Two Adjudicator’s Awards, Best Overall Orchestra, and Instrumental Sweepstakes Award, Worldstrides Heritage Festival of Music in New York City

2012:

  • Two Gold Medals; First Place in AA Division, First Place in AAA Division, Adjudicator’s Award, Instrumental Grand Champions, and Festival Sweepstakes (Grand Champions), Orlando Worldstrides Heritage Festival of Music

2011:

    • Two Superior Ratings; First Place in Division V, First Place in Division VI, and Instrumental Grand Champions, Virginia Beach Fiesta-Val

  • CHSO String Ensemble performed in the Florence International Youth Festival, as well as Tarquinia and Charlottesville’s sister city, Poggio a Cainano.

2010:

  • Two Gold Medals, First Place in AA Division, and First Place in AAA Division, Overall Orchestra Award, Adjudicators’ Award for top scores, and Festival Sweepstakes (Grand Champions), Boston Heritage Festival of Music

2009:

  • Two Superior Ratings; First Place in Division V, and First Place in Division VI, Myrtle Beach Fiesta-Val

2008:

  • Two Superior Ratings, First Place in Division V, and First Place in Division VI, New York, NY Fiesta-Val

2007:

  • Grand Champions, London Heritage Festival of Music

2006:

  • Two Superior Ratings, First Place in Division V, and Second Place in Division VI, Atlanta Fiesta-Val

2005:

  • Two Superior Ratings and Overall Grand Champions for Orchestra, Caribbean Cruise Music Festival (Bahamas)

2004:

  • Two Superior Ratings, First Place in Division V, First Place in Division VI, Overall Orchestra Champions, and Overall Grand Champions, Virginia Beach Fiesta-Val

2004:

  • One of eight finalists to win $2,000 in the first-ever National Orchestra Festival, sponsored by the American String Teachers Association and National School Orchestra Association, Dallas

2003:

  • Two Gold Medals, First Place in Division AA, First Place in Division AAA, and Orchestra Champions, Boston Heritage Festival

2002:

  • First Place in Division V, First Place in Division VI, two Superior Ratings, Orchestra Champions, and Overall Grand Champions, Myrtle Beach Fiesta-Val

2001:

  • Two Gold Medals, Mid-West Festival of Music, Chicago

2000:

  • Superior Rating, First Place in class and Overall Orchestra Champions, All-American Music Festival, Orlando

1999:

  • Two Gold Medals, New York, NY, Festival of Music

1998:

  • Second Place, International Youth and Music Festival, Vienna, Austria (first place went to a university honors ensemble from Australia.) CHSO’s 10-day European tour included performances in Halstatt, Austria, the Votivekirke in Vienna, and in Krabcice, Czech Republic http://www.gibsondesign.com/eurotour/

1997:

  • First Place in Division V, First Place in Division VI, two Superior Ratings, and Orchestra Champions, Myrtle Beach Fiesta-Val

1996:

  • Superior Rating and Grand Champions, Boston, New England Festival

1995:

  • Received standing ovation for performance at opening concert at Mid-West International Band and Orchestra Clinic, Chicago

1995:

  • First place in Division V, First Place in Division VI, two Superior Ratings, Orchestra Champions, and Overall Grand Champions, Virginia Beach Fiesta-Val

1994:

  • Superior Rating and Overall Orchestra Champions, Atlanta North American Music Festival

1993:

  • First Place in Division V, First Place in Division VI, two Superior Ratings, Orchestra Champions, and Overall Grand Champions, Myrtle Beach Fiesta-Val

1992:

  • Gold Medal, New York, NY, Festival of Music

1991:

  • First Place in Division VI, Superior Rating, and Overall Concert Champions, Williamsburg Fiesta-Val

1990:

  • First Place, Superior Rating, and Orchestra Champions at Myrtle Beach Fiesta-Val

1989:

  • Gold Medal at New York, NY, Festival of Music

bottom of page