The Coronado Orchestra was established in 1965 when Coronado High School opened its doors for the first Mustangs.  The director of the orchestra strings and full orchestra was Mr. James Sudduth, who also directed the Coronado Band.  In 1967 as Coronado High School grew, Dr. George Robinson left Lubbock High School and was named to the position of Director of Orchestras at CHS allowing Mr. Sudduth to attend to the marching and concert bands as the numbers increased in both the orchestra and the band.

Building upon the foundation laid by Mr. Sudduth, Dr. Robinson conducted an orchestra which has consistently been among the outstanding orchestras in Texas for many years.  After 13 years as director at CHS and 31 years in education, Dr. Robinson retired.   However he has remained actively involved with Lubbock I.S.D. through his second career as the owner of Robinson Violins, where he not only repairs many of the instruments of LISD, but also provides string instruments for students of Lubbock through rental and purchase.  (Dr. Robinson and his wife, Anna Verne, moved from Lubbock to Albuquerque, New Mexico in September of 2005 to be closer to their daughter and her family.)    In 1979, Mr. Boyce Wyrick began directing the Coronado Orchestra also after teaching at Lubbock High School.  Mr. Wyrick is in his 29th year at Coronado High School.

The Coronado Orchestra has twice been named an “Honor Orchestra Finalist” by the Texas Music Educator’s Association and has on numerous occasions been awarded the “Best in Class” and “Best in Festival” awards at music festivals across the United States.  Each year the Coronado Orchestra or the Coronado Strings travel to a music festival in such destinations as Honolulu, Orlando, Miami, New Orleans, Winter Park (CO), Breckenridge, Colorado Springs, Carlsbad (NM), Houston, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Ft. Worth, Amarillo and San Diego. 

The tradition of full orchestra is held in high regard at CHS.  Each year the string section combines with the finest winds and percussion the Coronado Band has to offer for several events, including the Winter Concert in December, the Spring Concert in March, UIL Contest, music festivals and the Grand Finale Concert in May.   This dedication to giving students the opportunity to perform in a symphonic orchestra has come about by the support of the band directors of The Coronado Band.  The directors of the band program have been Jim Sudduth, Phil Anthony, Anthony Gibson, Tom Bennett, Joel Weisberg, Tom Crumpler and Mack Bibb.   Assistant band directors have included Dave Pennock, Jon Bohls, Eldon Reynolds, Jim Killion, Skip Wingline, and David Lewis.

Every three years the Fine Arts Department of Coronado High School stages a musical.  Previously performed musicals include Fiddler on the Roof, Annie, Guys and Dolls, The Music Man and Les Miserables.  The 2005 musical will be a repeat performance of Fiddler on the Roof.

The Coronado Orchestra has maintained high ratings in UIL Orchestra Concert and Sightreading Contest throughout the years.  

In 1999, the Music Department of Coronado High School was named as one of three winners of the Grammy Award. This honor was bestowed upon the CHS in the initial year of the award.  The award was created by the Grammy Award association to recognize outstanding high school music programs in the United States in which the band, the choir and the orchestra are strong, representative of the best that music education has to offer.   Directors at the time of the award were Mr. Joel Weisberg (Band), Mr. Brett Farr (Choir) and Mr. Boyce Wyrick (Orchestra).

Individual honors for students are numerous.  Students from CHS have participated in the Lubbock Youth Symphony Orchestra and the National Youth Symphony.  Several students from the Coronado Orchestra have been chosen to perform as a soloist with the LYSO.  Each year students participate in solo and ensemble contests.  Many earn Superior ratings with their performances, and some go on to the Texas State Solo & Ensemble Contest in Austin where two Coronado Orchestra students were named “Outstanding Soloist” for their performance.

The Coronado Strings has over the years maintained an active community service schedule performing concerts at local hospitals, assisted living facilities,  local, regional and state organizational meetings, and in our feeder schools.

In the last LISD bond election, the voters of the Lubbock approved bonds for a renovation of the CHS Fine Arts Department.  New facilities for the band, choir,   orchestra and drama classes are being constructed.  The band and the choir will occupy new rooms.  The orchestra and drama classes will take residence in the newly renovated choir and band rooms.

Many Coronado Orchestra Alumni have gone on to careers in music.  You will find them in professional orchestras, the music recording industry, music retail, instrument repair, church music, music education, and on college campuses in professorships and as  department heads.  Members who have left their music studies behind after high school have excelled in virtually every field.  Many are active in their communities working to make music and the other fine arts available to all.