Asheville Schools Orchestra Update

August 19, 2026 — Asheville, NC

Scroll down for more information about a meeting this evening where school board candidates will be present for asking questions!

Last week I wrote about several news stories happening in our state and nearby surrounding areas. I do have several pieces coming soon focusing on Hendersonville and Henderson County, but this story is personally important to me as someone who found my people through the instrumental music programs at my local public schools during middle and high school.

Also, I know some folks in Henderson County who send their children to schools in Buncombe County, so it’s definitely of local interest as well!

In brief: the Asheville schools superintendent Maggie Fehrman’s decided to cut the orchestra program from the Asheville middle and high schools. So folks showed up to the school board meeting, including some orchestra students, and pled for the reinstatement of the orchestra program.

Unfortunately the vote at the meeting resulted in a 3-3 board deadlock, allowing Superintendent Maggie Fehrman’s orchestra program cuts to move forward.

The Save ACS Orchestra campaign has “sent nearly 2000 letters demanding that Asheville City Schools leadership save our orchestra program! If you haven't yet, or want to share it with neighbors, please continue circulating the Letter Campaign.”

Writing a letter is easy, free, and fast! The campaign has provided a template for the letter, which you can then modify to fit your perspective and highlight your specific concerns about the situation.

Tonight, August 19th, school board candidates and incumbents will take questions at a public forum in West Asheville. RSVP here if you want to attend.

This will provide an opportunity to “directly question and hold accountable the current board members who voted against the motion to preserve the orchestra program: Board Chair Sarah Thornburg and Vice Chair Rebecca Strimer voted to shut down the orchestra program.”

Event Details & RSVP

Event: ACS School Board Candidate Forum (Wednesdays @ One World)

Date & Time: Wednesday, August 19, 2026 | 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Location: One World Brewing, 520 Haywood Rd, West Asheville

RSVP: Let organizers know you are coming by RSVPing here on Mobilize

How You Can Help:

“Wear your S.O.S. gear: Put on your ‘Save Our Strings’ t-shirts, pins, or music gear so our unified support for the orchestra is impossible to ignore.

“Ask pointed questions: Ask candidates on the record where they stand on restoring the orchestra program, how they plan to prioritize music education in the budget, and why certain incumbents allowed the strings cut to stand.

“Bring school supply donations: The event is hosting a supply drive for the cluster’s elementary schools (Hall Fletcher, Lucy Herring, and Emma Elementary). If you can, please bring items such as pencils, dry-erase markers, colored markers, glue sticks, composition books, 3-hole paper/folders, sticky notes, or bleach-free disinfecting wipes.

“Share: Please [share this information with] other ACS parents, friends, and neighbors, and share our Action Network link on your social media pages. The more people who know about this fight, the stronger our message will be!

“Our orchestra students, music educators, and entire school community deserve leaders who fight to keep the arts alive in Asheville. Let’s pack the room and make sure our message is heard loud and clear.

“See you at One World Brewing tomorrow at 5:30 PM!”

Thank you for reading, thank you for caring!

~B.

No generative ai was used in the writing of this post or any of my others. All human, all the time!