Orchestra

Welcome to the Cypress Falls Orchestra website where parents, guardians, and students have another avenue of information for further involvement, knowledge of, and connection with our program. Please find information about our program and our directors in the 'About' tab.

Be sure to check out the calendar for future orchestra events. Please do not hesitate in contacting either of us for any questions you may have. We are happy to serve our community and parents, and continue to make music together.

Email is the best way to reach us. Both directors are on campus during regular school hours which are 7:15 AM to 3:15 PM.

john.ricarte@cfisd.net

katherine.fuller@cfisd.net

Cypress Falls High School Orchestra 9811 Huffmeister Rd. Houston, TX 77095

Orchestra Rm. #1404

About

The Cypress Falls High School orchestra directors thank Principal Denton, Joeseph Glass, and John Morrison, director of fine arts for the CFISD for their continuous support of the Cypress Falls Orchestra program.

Students playing in orchestra at Cypress Falls HS, audition to be placed in one of five orchestras. They are the Camerata, Concert, Philharmonic, Symphony, and Chamber orchestras. Freshman will be placed in Camerata, Concert, or Philharmonic orchestra, as Symphony and Chamber are only open to students who have completed at least one year of orchestra.

Camerata Orchestra is non-competing and open to students who would like to begin on a new string instrument. New for as of this year, Camerata is open to ANY student who wishes to play a stringed-instrument, no previous experience necessary!

Chamber is reserved for students who have successfully auditioned at the end of the year and are expected to play in the numerous extracurricular performances at the school and in the community.

If there are any questions about this program or our orchestras, please contact us! Thank you!

Directors

Dr. John Ricarte

Orchestra Director

Cypress Falls High School Fine Arts Department Chair

Email: john.ricarte@cfisd.net

John Ricarte has blended his unique experiences to allow him to create a successful career as a Teacher, Orchestra Director, Clinician and Lecturer.

Born in Lisbon, Portugal, Dr. Ricarte came to the United States at the age of 19 to pursue his musical career. His first stop was at Otterbein College (now University) in Ohio where he received a Bachelors of Art with a double major in Music and Speech Communication. From there he went to Michigan State University where he received a Masters of Art in Orchestral Conducting. He concluded his studies at the University of South Carolina, receiving a doctorate in Musical Arts in Orchestral conducting.

Dr. Ricarte begins his 25th year teaching orchestra at the Cypress-Falls High School in the Cypress-Fairbanks ISD in Houston, Texas. Under his direction the orchestras have consistently achieved sweepstakes at UIL competitions. His students have also received numerous awards including membership in All-State organizations.

Dr. Ricarte is the founder and Music Director of Grace Symphony Orchestra, served as conductor of The Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra for ten years, and recently stepped down from the Brazosport Symphony Orchestra where he held the position of Music Director for fourteen years.

Dr. Ricarte’s experience includes working with a diverse number of groups from youth to adult, orchestra and ballet, to opera, wind, and choral. He traveled to Romania and conducted the Satu-Mare State Philharmonic Orchestra. Dr. Ricarte is a frequent adjudicator at competitions around the state and has presented at TMEA, TODA and workshops in various school districts.

In his free time Dr. Ricarte enjoys running, reading, cooking, traveling, and playing pickleball. Dr. Ricarte is fluent in French, English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Dr. Ricarte lives in Houston with his wife, a native Houstonian and has a 24-year-old daughter who lives in Dallas, Texas. As a family, they love to travel all across the world with frequent stops in Portugal.

Katherine Fuller

Assistant Orchestra Director

Email: katherine.fuller@cfisd.net

Ms. Katherine Fuller is the Assistant Director of Orchestra at Cypress Falls High School. She received a Bachelor of Music Education from Louisiana State University. (LSU)

As a native of Louisiana, Ms. Fuller lived in Baton Rouge for 23 years where she developed her musical skills as a violinist, and went on to be a member of the LSU symphony orchestra for four years. There, she had the opportunity to play at the Turner-Fischer Center for Opera on several occasions. She also performed with the Emmy and Academy award winning film scorer Bill Conti, American singer-songwriter Ben Folds, and world-renowned opera singer Lisette Oropesa.

Ms. Fuller taught for two years in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in the East Baton Rouge Parish Public School System, returning to her musical upbringing from her years as a student there. She then moved to Cypress, Texas to continue her teaching career here at Cypress Falls High School.

In her free time, Ms. Fuller enjoys baking, reading, traveling, and spending as much time outdoors as possible.

Ms. Fuller looks forward to teaching students every day at Cypress Falls with Dr. Ricarte. She truly enjoys the strength and warmth of the school community and orchestra family, and is dedicated to working hard with the students to be part of their continued success.

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