The first day of the Winter Ensemble Concert, Nov. 11, featured Advanced Strings directed by Emma Van Allen, OMA and Cecilian Singers (choral ensembles) directed by Erik Clayton, and 10-12 grade band and Concert Band directed by Mr. Paul Lescowicz. Many pieces were presented that night, with repertoire challenging all different grade levels.
The pieces presented from each ensemble included River Valley Waltz for Advanced Strings, and OMA presented Good Timber, Steal Away, and My Spirit Looks to God Alone. Afterward, Cecilian Singers presented Dixit Dominus and Arise my Love. Next, the 10-12 grade band performed Danza la Habana, Cherished, and Variations on Scarborough Fair. To end the evening, the concert band performed In Morning Light, Kalos Eidos, and Free Lance March.
The pieces varied in style and energy, with Advanced Strings adding a carefree, airy element to their music while OMA chose a more hymnal music approach. Cecilian Singers chose to focus on love and more traditional pieces, and both bands ended with a traditional marching band-style performance.
“I love having students feel proud of themselves for their concert, and getting to share their music with their families. We were able to put a lot of emotion and expression in our playing,” Van Allen said. “I think we really worked on playing in tune and together, working on projecting our music.”
Lescowicz shared similar thoughts. “The preparation is months in advance, and it’s getting to know the students’ musical levels, technical levels, and finding pieces that fit them,” he said. “It’s a matter of getting on the daily grind of getting the notes, and getting the rhythms, and pouring your heart and soul into it. Going past that, it’s making music and connecting with other people.”
The musicians also felt the same regarding improvement from the beginning of the school year. “This was a little different from what we usually do,” Elliott Mathews, a 12th-grade musician performing at the concert, said. “It was nice to have all the ensembles together in one concert.”
“I thought it was really cool that we got all these ensembles together to play,” Lily Solensky, another 12th-grade musician in the concert, said. “We got everyone to see the music we were working on, and it was really cool to see how we supported each other.”
As many agree, the concert was a success, with students being able to demonstrate their progress from the beginning of the year. Many felt proud and happy with their improvements, as well as glowing praise from their music directors. As the year progresses, students continue to build on their musical skills in preparation for upcoming performances in the spring and early summer.
