An overview of the 2015 Arkansas Fine Arts standards, with an examination of the possibility of substituting guitar in cases where traditional orchestral education is impractical.

 Grades 5-8  Each level constitutes one school year  Successful completion of each level is a prerequisite for beginning the next level  Each level builds upon the previous level, moving from “basic” to “moderately complex” understanding and aptitude

 Improvisation and Creation/Composition  Performance  Following a conductor  Characteristic ensemble sounds  Rehearsal and Concert etiquette  Posture and playing position  Musical expression  Instrument maintenance  Proper practice technique  Musical Knowledge  Gross understanding of musical forms, textures, instruments by sight/sound, general cultural differences and historical periods and events

 Guitars are significantly less expensive than traditional string instruments  Experienced guitarists and guitar instructors are often more readily available than trained orchestral conductors  Guitar instruction introduces many basic concepts of working with strings, which can be augmented with additional instruction in orchestral repertoire, making learning traditional orchestral instruments easier when they become available

Orchestra-specific standardsGuitar Options  Use of the bow  Different bowing techniques  Proper hand position  Vibrato  Scales and Arpeggios  Characteristic sounds  Orchestral repertoire  General string use  Working with chords and playing with two hands  Musical theory and expression translate from one instrument to another  Teach the orchestral repertoire through arrangements especially for guitar ensemble, through music listening assignments, or some combination therein

 Grades 9-12  Expands upon the conceptual and skills instruction begun in Beginning Orchestra, although those classes are not a prerequisite for Orchestra I  Each level builds upon the previous one and is a prerequisite for the following level  These standards are more detailed and demand a higher level of knowledge and aptitude from students, as is appropriate for older and more experienced musicians

 The standards for high school orchestra classes focus much more specifically upon bowing techniques and working with the traditional orchestral instruments.  General musical knowledge, theory, composition, improvisation, and overall musical performance can be learned just as effectively in a guitar ensemble.  Additional instruction in music history and orchestral repertoire could be used to more closely align the experience with that which orchestra members learn by performing that repertoire.  Additional instruction to at least introduce concepts of bowing and different articulation styles would be needed in order to meet the standard.  Although learning guitar would not prepare a student to pick up a cello and play with no transition, guitar would introduce many concepts which would help ease that transition. In many ways, the transition would be easier, as the guitar student would be familiar with many musical concepts than a student for whom that cello was their first musical instrument.