Orchestral strings resounded at the first fall concert of the year.
“We are trying to showcase the work ethic we will have this year to our audience and to prepare them for our high level of expectations we perform with,” orchestra teacher Angela Henry said.
The group performed on Oct. 24, 2024, at Ocean Lakes High School.
The spookiness of the fall season was the predominant theme of the music, which included pieces from “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Pirates of the Caribbean” and other classical pieces with dark, fall-centric themes.
“The differences between each piece [created] a great contrast, while still maintaining [an overall, cohesive] theme,” sophomore Jan Reyes said in reference to the music played.
Notably, Dmitri Shostakovich’s “String Quartet No. 8,” a complex chamber piece usually played by four musicians, was upscaled for 20 musicians.
“The sheer difficulty of the piece made it hard for the orchestra to get it together and communicate,” senior and first chair violinist Dylan Mach said. “However, the individual commitment and the teamwork allowed us to surpass that challenge.”
Orchestra rehearsed numerous times after school to prepare for the concert.
“This concert is known as being stressful since it is so close to the beginning of the year,” Henry said. “We don’t have [much] time to prepare, so we hit the ground running.”
Concerts like these often bring the community together through music.
“We try to include the middle schools that feed into Ocean Lakes and their parents too so that they are aware of our performances,” Henry said. “Music brings people together.”
