Abby Brown, Reporter
@ABrownCourant
Recently, the Orchestra, Band and Choir students have showcased their hard work and talent through their winter concerts. Taking place on December 4, 10 and 11, the concerts were a brilliant way for the students to show off what they have been working on this year to family, friends and peers.
In order to prepare for the show, choir class and after school has been filled with practices for both the Concert Choir and student choirs. “The Choir rehearses in class and the Madrigals Student Choir rehearses every Monday night,” said third year choir student Morgan Pitts. “We practice hard every choir class and really make sure we know it. Everyone is really dedicated to getting better and working together.”
Rehearsals looked different for the Orchestra’s Winter Music Festival with the Saxe Middle School Orchestra students. The Festival had both high school and middle school performers and as such rehearsals were a bit more unique. “We had lots of rehearsals in the auditorium. The eighth graders came over from Saxe a couple times so we rehearsed with them too,” said junior orchestra student Logan Roen. “Everyone came together for the performance and it ended up sounding really good.”
For the Band, smaller rehearsal groups were the most beneficial. These consisted of three on one sessions with Band Director Mr. Zhou. “We get to really learn our pieces and develop them to a high standing. Being able to do that really prepared us for the concert,” said junior band student Max Boccaccio.
Despite having different rehearsal processes, all three music programs demonstrated the best of their abilities and put on incredible performances.
In orchestra and choir, the directors, Mr. Ficks and Ms. Gleason, chose the music that was performed. However, in band, the students were given the opportunity to pick what songs they were interested in showcasing. “Mr. Zhou usually picks 1-2 songs but then he gives us a list on a google form with links to videos. We get to listen to those and then vote on which piece we would like to do,” said Max.
The concerts featured a variety of music, ranging from classical melodies to contemporary hits. “We did songs from Barbie and “Never Gonna Give You Up” by Rick Astley, but we also played a lot of Gustav Mahler,” said Logan. The blend of timeless pieces and modern songs allows the music students to demonstrate their wide range and capabilities, and keeps the audience excited about what will be played next.
Despite the hours of commitment and work put into making these shows a success, students enjoyed the time they spent together both inside and outside of the classroom.
To many students, their peers become family. “Choir has become more of a home environment. Throughout the years everyone gets to know each other and it gets more fun,” said Morgan.
There is a similar sentiment in orchestra. “It’s definitely been interesting going from someone who looks up to all of the seniors who are in the first chair to becoming one of the older kids that the freshmen look up to. Though honestly, the sense of community hasn’t changed that much. It’s really like a family,” said Logan.
In Band, Max said that being in the class allowed him to meet new people and form stronger relationships. “Getting to know these new people and growing together has been my favorite part of Band.”
The connections these musicians form with one another impact how they work together on and off the stage. “Even though we’re playing music we also have to know each other socially and be able to have conversations with each other,” said Max.
The hard work and talent of the music students really came through in their shows. The performances all went spectacularly and the students are already starting to prepare for their trip to Nashville, Tennessee in March.
