The band, orchestra and jazz band classes will put on the Winter Concert on Dec. 10 in the Performing Arts Center. This show features 107 students spread over three classes, who began preparing for this concert in October. As final exams loom closer and studying becomes rampant, this group of students’ preparation for the end of the semester looks different than others’ with the added component of rehearsals both at school and at home.
With seven weeks in between the Fall and Winter Concert, the transition to the new music for this December performance was swift, according to Music Director Amy Gelb.
“We do between four and five concerts and festivals every year,” Gelb said. “The day after our fall concert we began working on the music for this winter concert.”
Gelb runs rehearsals every class period and dedicates two afternoons to bring separate class periods together to practice before the performance.
Anthony Kim (12) is the first chair violinist and concert master for the school’s orchestra, and is his fourth and final Winter Concert.
“The preparation revolves around two areas,” Kim said. “The first is ‘sectionals’ where we all divide into a different room and the first chair leads rehearsals among their instrument section. Step two of this process is working together during rehearsals to make sure all the sections are building this unified sound.”
The fall break stopped rehearsals for a week.
“This concert is stressful because we have the week off for Fall Break,” Gelb said. “We work really hard to try to learn all our music and then they get a whole week off so I’ve been anxious the past couple days. They’re really ambitious students and I think a lot of kids went home and practiced over break so I feel confident.”
Holiday songs like “The Concert Suite from the Polar Express,” “Sleigh Ride” and the larger scale of this concert set it apart from other performances throughout the year.
“We are starting with the full orchestra of 87 students which is the band and orchestra combined,” Gelb said. “We only do that for two concerts during the year, so it’s special to have them all play together on stage. The full orchestra does two holiday pieces, followed by wind ensemble, orchestra and jazz band with other seasonal songs, so it is a lot of moving pieces and getting people on and off stage.”
Gelb watches her student grow as they prepare for the concert.
“When I hand out the music sometimes they say ‘that’s so hard; how are we ever going to do that?’” Gelb said. “Seeing the progress from barely being able to read it to them sounding great is amazing, and I love seeing the parents’ reactions.”
Charlize Thompson (11) plays flute in the school’s Jazz band and is “excited for the Winter Concert.”
“At the beginning, it is always a struggle to get everything together,” Thompson said. “Now it is all coming together and sounding really good. I love how we have some Christmas music integrated, and it is cool seeing all the different classes come together to showcase their hard work.”
Kim sees the Winter Concert, which is the bridge into their competition season, as another opportunity for the program to bond and sharpen their skills.
“It is a midpoint to see how much we’ve grown, and we also can use it as a benchmark for how much more we grow throughout the other half of the year,” Kim said. “We have had field trips, and a lot of team bonding leading up to the concert, and the upperclassmen and I are trying to create a culture for the younger students so we can make sure we have good work ethic while having fun and enjoying the experience overall.”
