Catherine Chiocchi
Arts Editor
At 7 pm last night, orchestra and band students flooded the Lapham Auditorium with music for the Spring Instrumental Music Concert.
The orchestra, conducted by Orchestra Director Leo Ficks, took to the stage first. They played five songs, ranging from classical to modern. Since the bassists are “often lost on the back of the stage,” Mr. Ficks brought them to the front to play Basses Loaded. Each bassist performed a solo in this piece and was accompanied by the rest of the orchestra. Mr. Ficks noted that the size and quality of the five-person bass section was impressive for a high school orchestra.
Both the Concert Band and the Jazz Band performed as well, with Concert Band Director Scott Cranston conducting. The Concert Band played two songs and the Jazz Band played three. Mr. Cranston added that this month the Jazz Band is celebrating the style of Duke Ellington, so they played Feet Bone (composed by Ellington) in the concert.
Some students were recognized for being nominated to play in selective orchestras. Junior Anna Brissie, senior Dylan Hsu (Managing Editor of Technologies for the Courant Online), and senior Fabian Hough were chosen for the Western Regionals Orchestra. Fabian and freshman Harrison Besser were also selected for the All-State Orchestra. Freshman Alexandra Kudryzcki will be playing in the Fairfield County Strings Festival Orchestra and sophomore Jacob Reiss was chosen for the All-State Band.
