HOME

ABOUT HSO

EXPERIENCE

CONCERTS

DONATIONS

CONTACT

Members

HSO Calendar

Our rehearsal schedule is based on the Hidden Creek Community Center’s hours and holiday closure schedule.

(Note: Some privacy web browser extensions block Google services, which might keep this calendar from loading properly.)

Rehearsals will take place in Kalapuya Hall at Hidden Creek Community Center:

Hidden Creek Community Center
5100 NE Hidden Creek Drive
Hillsboro, OR 97124

To find Kalapuya Hall at the Hidden Creek Community Center in Hillsboro (HC53), enter through the front, sliding doors (near the large, cyclone-shaped sculpture), continue just past the front desk, and then turn right. HSO staff or board members will be at the door to greet you. If needed, additional parking is available at 53rd Avenue Community Park, across NE 53rd Avenue from the community center, and there is a flashing-light crosswalk at the NE Hidden Creek Drive/NE 53rd Avenue intersection.

Locations

Our March performance will be at The Tualatin Valley Academy:

Tualatin Valley Academy
7405 E Main Street
Hillsboro, OR 97123

If needed, additional parking is available at the shopping center across East Main Street and there is a traffic light controlled crosswalk to safely cross East Main Street.

Reference Recordings:

All are composed by William Grant Still
Symphony #2 "Song for a New Race"
Poem for Orchestra
Can'tcha Line 'Em

Also a very cool version of Leadbelly playing Can'tcha Line 'Em

HSO Board & Staff

President: Tracy Burridge | president@hillsborosymphony.org
Vice President: Open | vp@hillsborosymphony.org
Secretary: Judy Krohn | secretary@hillsborosymphony.org
Treasurer: Sharon Bailey | treasurer@hillsborosymphony.org
At Large: Molly Kalbach | molly.kalmbach@hillsborosymphony.org
At Large: Tiffany Lai | tiffany.lai@hillsborosymphony.org

Board:

Conductor: Jeff Hornick | conductor@hillsborosymphony.org
Associate Conductor: Anna Herman Trobaugh
Librarian: Chloe Kneedler | librarian@hillsborosymphony.org
Director of Personnel: Tiffany Lai | personnel@hillsborosymphony.org
Social Media & Marketing: Open 

Looking for volunteers for marketing, socila media and percussion coordinator. See the Volunteer and Staff Job Descriptions for more information.

Staff:

Member Guidelines

Please download and carefully read the HSO Member Guidelines. All orchestra members will be expected to know and follow our guidelines, or may be requested to not participate with us.

  • Rehearsals start promptly at 7:00 p.m. Please be warmed up and seated at that time. When rehearsing at Hidden Creek, we have access to the space at 6:45pm and must be out of the building by close, 9pm.
  • Bring your own stand
  • Each rehearsal is an important opportunity for you to contribute to the overall sound of your section. Every effort in attending all rehearsals is appreciated.
  • Be silent when other sections are tuning. When you are tuning your own instrument, tune as softly as possible so that players around you can hear themselves as well as the tuning note. Take the time you need to tune your instrument correctly.
  • Please be patient when the conductor is working with another section.
  • Be kind and sincere if offering suggestions. Be direct and friendly about fixing pitches or rhythm. We all choose to volunteer our time and talents, and a welcoming community is necessary to our shared success.
  • Always service your instrument (i.e., “swab out” or rosin your bow, etc.) discreetly and be respectful of those playing around you.
  • When the conductor speaks to you, always acknowledge by making direct eye contact and possibly an appropriate response.
  • Do not pack up before the end of rehearsal unless given express permission by the conductor—you still might have more to play. If you are given permission to leave early, pack up as quietly as you can, including putting away your stand and chair if possible to do so without disrupting the rehearsal.
  • When rehearsal is finished, please put away your stand and chair and help set the room to rights as much as you are able.
  • If you have an announcement or reminder that you would like to share with all members please send to personnel@hillsborosymphony.org

The concert dress code is black dressy, not casual. Each member should look professional, but not draw attention to themselves visually. Ideally, the music should be the focus of the audience’s attention, not the sight of the players. You may wear a white collared shirt if you wear a tux or suit jacket. Tuxes/suits are encouraged but not required. Otherwise, all clothing should be black (including ties, shoes, and socks). If you are not wearing a jacket, shirtsleeves should be at least short sleeves, no cap sleeves, sleeveless, or tank tops. Shirts should not be low-cut or show midriff. Pants should be slacks or other nice pants (no jeans or leggings, even if they are black); no capris or shorts. Dresses or skirts must reach below the knee. Black socks or stockings need to be worn; no bare legs or feet. Shoes should be black dress shoes, not athletic shoes or sneakers. Shoes that expose part of the foot (such as ballet slippers) should be worn with black socks or hose. Jewelry should be kept to a minimum.

In general, wear black and use your best judgment to dress nicely, look professional, and blend with the group.

Concert Dress:

In short, if you miss more than three rehearsals per concert cycle (excused or unexcused), you will be asked to not play in the concert. Members shall be dropped from the roster after 4 unexcused absences in one year (September–May). 

An absence is excused when the member notifies everyone as soon as possible, hopefully below within 24 hours of rehearsal:

The board can make exceptions to the above policies. We understand that other things come up and want to work with you. Contact the board (board@hillsborosymphony.org) and tell us your situation. We are most likely to grant you an exception if you are giving us plenty of notice of your plans or if you are a member with a good history of attendance or participation.

The inclement weather policy follows that of the Hillsboro School District: if school is canceled due to inclement weather, so is rehearsal. Email notices will also be sent to the members about rehearsal cancellations. Please use your best judgment to determine whether you can attend rehearsals safely.

Absense Policy:

The HSO librarian's job is to make sure you have the music you need to play your best. To that end, I also need help from you. So please:

  1. Prepare your part(s) before rehearsal. Rehearsal time is for group instruction and ensemble preparedness. Individual practicing should be done outside of group rehearsals on your own time.
  2. Your pencil is your best friend. Do not make the same mistake twice because you forgot.
  3. Music needs to be kept in the folder provided. Be careful to keep the music in excellent condition, including working photocopies; limit markings to pencil only. Please no pen or highlighter.
  4. The provided folder is intended to protect the music, so please do your best to protect the folder. Damage to the folder that is more than normal wear and tear could result in a fine.
  5. Music must be returned upon completion of a performance or your departure from the group. Any damage or loss of music could result in a fine.
  6. If the music comes from a source other than the librarian or assistant librarian (e.g. IMSLP, directly from the composer, or photocopies you made yourself), do not turn it in with the folder after the concert. Further instructions will be given if you need to turn in music that is not part of the HSO library.

Contact our librarian, Chloe Kneedler, at librarian@hillsborosymphony.org

Library and Music Needs:

HSO will always be free to our members to join and participate in. If you are monitarily able, we will always appreciate donations. It can be money or music for the orchestra to play.

Another way to help is to check with your employers to see if they offer donation matching. Most employers that do consider the time you spend on HSO as a donation you are making and will donate money to HSO for your time. All of the paperwork is done on your employer's side of things, so please reach out to your HR department with questions.

Thank you for considering this. Your donations of time and money are what make HSO a thriving organization, bringing music and musical experiences to your community and you!

Donations:

Annual Meeting

We hold an annual member meeting to give all members a peek behind the curtain to the business side of the orchestra. Our last member meeting was held on August 24, 2026. The folder linked below has notes, the PowerPoint we couldn't show and the zip code map from our member survey. The summary that was included int he all member email is below as well.

2026 All Member Meeting Notes
Member Meeting Presentation
Zip Code Map

  • We have many resources for our members. This includes the member website with information about the rehearsal calendar, information about our rehearsal venues, recordings of the pieces we are playing, contact information and member guidelines.

  • We are looking for a new rehearsal venue. It is the reason we have limited percussion at concerts and they have been difficult to work with. Send the board (board@hillsborosymphony.org) and suggestions you have, even if you said it at the member meeting. It is always helpful to email your contact with the space if you have one. The rehearsal space:
                -Must be large enough to fit 70 musicians with their instruments     
                -Must be acoustically reasonable, not too echoey, dead, loud or quiet.                  -Ideally, we would have secure storage onsite for our percussion
                   including timpani, bass drum and gong.
               -Cheaper the better, we are currently paying $3k to rehearse at Hidden
                  Creek

  • The orchestra's finances generally run at a slight loss. We get 61% of our income from grants and 24% from concert income.
               -We don't make money at concerts.
               -Most of our expenses (69%) are operating expenses (fees, rehearsal
                 space, insurance). The rest is concert expenses
               -We are a registered 501(c)3 Member organization. We are all
                 volunteers and would appreciate any donations. They are all tax
                 deductible. We are also a participating Oregon Cultural Trust           
                 organization.
              -We will never require a member fee to join HSO, but we appreciate
                donations if you can make them.You can set up a once time donation
                or a monthly donation on our website.
              -If the orchestra was fully funded by the members, it would be $379 per
                member, per year. Or $31.58 a month per member.

  • Discussed the member survey results. The highlights are below.
             -Our membership is nearly a half folks who have been here 3 years or
               less and a third of folks who have been members for 10 years or
                more.
            -What you want to see improved
                       -Sectionals - Board and Jeff will discuss. Difficult to do in the
                         current space. See venue discussion above.
                      -More communication from the board - This is why we did the
                         member meeting. We will include more orchestra business news
                         in the weekly emails. Also reach out to the board for any
                         questions. Judy and Tiffany are musician members and Tracy
                         normally sets up in the lobby during rehearsals.
                     -Access to sheet music before the rehearsals begin - We will start
                       sharing any sheet music that is available digitally early for
                       rehearsals. This isn't always possible with rental music, but will
                       make it available when we can.
                     -Others were complaints about the venue such as lack of
                       percussion and parking. See venue discussion above.
           -The ADC questions of music you want to play and feedback is shared
             with the ADC
           -Vast majority of members like the 3 concerts a year format, having
             summers off. Most folks are open to extending rehearsals into early June

  • We are looking for volunteers. Specifically social media manager, concert marketing and percussion mover / manager. Volunteers do not need to be orchestra members or have any music knowledge.