For ten years, Fenwick’s music program has offered separate winter performances for the band, orchestra and choir ensembles. This year, however, Fenwick’s performance groups decided to come together to perform one combined concert on December 5. Why? The music groups take pleasure in each other’s company, and instead of being distant, Fenwick’s music program thought that it was important for musicians to come together for Christmas.
The biggest concern about this year’s combined concert is the large amount of students that will be participating. A show this with this many performers needs very fast transitions and a good flow, not to mention the work of preparing for the concert alone.
Earl Hester is a senior who has been in Fenwick’s choir for all four years of his high school career. He says he prepares for performances by warming up and hitting the highest and the lowest notes. Morgan Fisher is a freshman, but she has been playing her clarinet since the fourth grade. She prepares by going through the songs and working on the parts that she finds most troublesome. Many of the students work hard to prepare for this concert. Students want this concert to be special not only for the performers, but also for the people watching.
Ten years is a long time–why did Fenwick’s music department wait so long to produce a combined winter concert again? A concert so big needs a large rehearsal to make sure the flow is right, but many students have other activities after school, not to mention the rigorous workloads that many students carry. Also, combined pieces take a lot more planning, and the concert could only work if everyone had the time to plan such a large concert. The music program agrees that if this concert goes well, they may continue to make the joined Christmas concert an annual event.
This year’s winter concert will include a performance of the Hallelujah Chorus, a piece composed in 1741 by George Fredric Handel, with a scriptural text compiled by Charles Jennens from the King James Bible. I look forward to seeing you at this year’s Christmas concert!