For the first time this semester, the UW-Whitewater Chamber and Symphony Orchestras are taking the stage.

For the past two months the Orchestras have been preparing for the upcoming recital on Feb. 11.

Both orchestras are directed by Lecturer Steven Rindt. The Symphony Orchestra is open to all students, regardless of his/her major, through audition. To participate in the Chamber Orchestra, students must participate in Symphony concurrently.

The Chamber Orchestra is currently working on “Souvenir De Florence” composed by Tchaikovsky. The piece was written to feature only string instruments.

“It is very challenging for us,” Rindt said. “It is also very exciting.”

This past December, the orchestras held an annual concerto competition on campus. Rindt said the top students from the applied areas including brass, woodwind and string competed against each other to be one of the winners.

Four winners were ultimately chosen. In the concert this weekend two of them will perform. Junior Raquel Bruening will perform in “Clarinet Concert No. 1” composed by Weber and senior Rachel Gorecki will perfom in “Ain’t it a Pretty Night” composed by Floyd.

In upcoming concerts later in the semester, the orchestra will also feature a student in a violin concerto and a Rachmaninoff piano concert.

“These are like the spotlight or showcases that we have,” Rindt said. “Those are the best of the best.”

This concert is not just for students and community members who know this music. The members said they hope people will attend the concert to learn something.

“There’s a lot of music like this going on all over the world, I think it broadens your horizons of whats going on in the world,” Junior John Kermot said.