With Christmas around the corner, the Fine Arts department has ended their concert season for this semester. They’ve spun things up this year with a duet featuring Wind Symphony, the highest band, and Camerata, one of the elite choirs.
Directors Keith Matthews and Tanner Oglesby collaborated after years of independent performances from the band and the choirs.
“Mr. O and I have always discussed a collaboration between our two groups. This year just happened to be the year that we found a piece that fit both ensembles and we had the time to put it together,” Matthews said.
These select ensembles contain around 36 in Camerata and fewer than 150 in Wind Symphony.
“The first time Mr. O told us we were performing with the band, I was pretty excited. I’d never done anything like this before in either group, and I think it’s really important to show what so many students in the Fine Arts department are capable of,” Liv Robertson, Choir Vice President, said.
The preparation for this concert was a lot of work, with both organizations having their own struggles with the music.
“I struggled most with range. As a female tenor, several notes were definitely a reach, but it’s a fun part to sing. Once you learn the notes, rhythms and words, you can really turn any piece into real music,” Robertson said.
Sophomores and juniors who were able to move into these highly-ranked groups also work to expectations.
“The music is definitely more challenging [than last year] and the expectations are higher but I think it’s helped me grow as a musician even though it’s only been a few months,” Emely Grave, a clarinet soloist, said.
Directors, while still working with students, put faith in the student artists.
“Many of these students were all region and all state musicians last year so they understand what it takes to be successful, they’re a very hard working group of musicians,” Matthews said.
Though many members of the two groups may not go into musical careers, they still find value in the skills learned here.
“A lot of hard work went into this concert,” Graves said. “And while I don’t plan to pursue a career in music, I don’t think I ever want to stop playing just because you can create all sorts of sounds and evoke a wide range of emotions.”
