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Homestead Orchestra

Welcome to the Homestead Orchestras, one of Wisconsin's largest and most successful school orchestra programs. With 90 string students, our program excels in both music and academics. Orchestra members participate in a variety of school and community activities, including athletics and honors/AP courses.

A Community of Musicians, Learning and Working Together to Bring Great Music to Life

Students practice playing string instruments in an orchestra rehearsal room.

Our graduates pursue higher education nationwide, majoring in diverse fields such as engineering, business and finance, pre-med, and pre-law, often while continuing their musical journeys at the university level.

Our orchestra regularly tours the U.S. and abroad, with past performances in Germany, Spain, and Italy, among others. We have also performed at Carnegie Hall and collaborated with professional musicians from the Milwaukee Symphony.

The Homestead Orchestra receives strong support from district and school administrators, as well as the Mequon-Thiensville Orchestra Parents, Inc., who assist with fundraising, scholarships, and tours.

Our dedicated faculty includes Tiffany Chang (middle school), Megan Aswegan (elementary strings), Janet Dixon, and Kate Behring (elementary instruction)

Meet our Director of Orchestras, John Emanuelson

A man with light brown hair and glasses smiles at the camera against a dark background.

John W. Emanuelson is serving in his 25th year as Director of Orchestras at Homestead, and his 30th year as a high school orchestra teacher. He is the recipient of the Outstanding Educator Award from the MT District, the MT Education Foundation Excellence in Teaching Award, the Herb Kohl Foundation Excellence in Teaching Kohl Fellowship, and was named “Music Teacher of the Year” by the Civic Music Association of Milwaukee. He also serves as Director of the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra (MYSO) Metropolitan Orchestra. Active as an orchestral violinist, Mr. Emanuelson has performed with the Milwaukee Symphony and is a frequent member of the Kenosha and Festival City Symphony Orchestras. He has served as First Violin Section Coach for the WSMA All-State Honors Orchestra. He received his Master’s Degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder and is a graduate of Lawrence University. He studied violin with Oswald Lehnert and Patricia Anders. At CU, Mr. Emanuelson was a Suzuki Pedagogy student of William Starr and studied Baroque performance with Elizabeth Farr. He has studied conducting with Richard Hynson. He has also taught AP Music Theory at Homestead.

Schedule

26-27 Schedule of Events

Tour With Us

Norway 2027

Solo/Ensemble

COMING SOON

M-T Orchestra Parents, Inc

Encourage, support and advance the MTSD Orchestra programs

Student Fundraising

Fundraising opportunities for student travel

Watch

See past performances on the HHS Orchestra YouTube Channel

Important Information

  • Homestead High School Orchestra 
    John Emanuelson
    Director of Orchestras
    jemanuelson@mtsd.k12.wi.us
    262-238-5672

    Lake Shore and Steffen Middle School Orchestra
    Tiffany Chang - 262-238-7640, tchang@mtsd.k12.wi.us

    Oriole Lane, Donges Bay, Wilson Elementary School Orchestra
    Megan Aswegan - 262-238-4674, maswegan@mtsd.k12.wi.us
    Janet Dixon - jdixon@mtsd.k12.wi.us
    Kate Behring -kbehring@mtsd.k12.wi.us

  • Click here to review the 2025-2026 Orchestra Handbook.

    After reviewing, please click here to download, sign and submit the Parent/Student Handbook Signature Sheet.

    Participation in Homestead co-curricular activities is an integral part of the Homestead High School curriculum.  While our primary goal as a school district is to provide a sound academic experience for all of our students, co-curricular activities provide unique opportunities for students to promote their mental, physical, and social-emotional development. By providing a strong co-curricular program, Homestead High School extends the privilege of enriching the mind and body to any student meeting district. Co-curricular participants who comply with this code of conduct demonstrate a desire to dedicate themselves to self-improvement as well as to enhance the best interests of fellow teammates, advisors/coaches and school. If accepted, this privilege carries certain responsibilities, and this co-curricular code presents these responsibilities.

    Click on the button below to view.

     Homestead Co-Curricular Code of Conduct

  • Donation Drive: 

    Did you know that on average $25,000 in donations from MTSD Orchestra families, alumni, and community members are made to support our orchestra program each school year?  Each year we ask for your help to keep the Mequon /Thiensville School District Orchestra program one of the best in the region!    All donations are tax-deductible and support our students in many ways including:

    • ​funding professional clinicians and guest artists at all grade levels
    • funding field trips and supplemental learning opportunities
    • maintaining and purchasing instruments and equipment for classrooms
    • offering student scholarship assistance for overseas travel

    Click here for more information and to donate.

    Fundraising- Individual Student Accounts:
    ​

    Each year students will have the opportunity to fundraise for future high school orchestra travel.  All profits will be directly applied to the student's individual travel account. 

    Looking ahead to the future, we strongly encourage younger students and their families to take advantage of fundraising opportunities.  We are already planning future trips to NYC/Carnegie and overseas, so there's no time like the present to think fundraising! Some of you may have elementary-aged kids and think--oh dear-this is way too far off--BUT--these dollars add up.  Last year, one family was able to cover over 50% of the costs with fundraising balances from the previous 5-6 years! 

    Click here for more information on our fundraising programs

  • Click on the links below for more information:

  • Click on the links below:

Questions?

John Emanuelson

Homestead High School Orchestra jemanuelson@mtsd.k12.wi.us 262-238-5672

Laura Harvath

Middle School Orchestra lharvath@mtsd.k12.wi.us 262-38-7640

Megan Aswegan

Elementary Orchestra maswegan@mtsd.k12.wi.us 262-238-4674

Janet Dixon

Elementary Orchestra jdixon@mtsd.k12.wi.us

Kate Behring

Elementary Orchestra kbehring@mtsd.k12.wi.us