Hard work pays off

The T.H. Rogers Middle School Chamber Orchestra (pictured) has been invited to perform at the 2026 American String Teachers Association (ASTA) National Orchestra Festival (NOF) in San Francisco in February. This year, 10 junior-high orchestras nationwide were invited to the NOF, and T.H. Rogers is one of two orchestras from the Houston area. This marks one of the first times an HISD string ensemble has achieved this national distinction. T.H. Rogers’ orchestra ensemble is directed by Joyce Myoungji Jang, a graduate of Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, who brings conservatory-level standards to the public-school setting. 

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