Written by Jacob Flores, Staff Writer
From spooky Halloween pieces to well-known classics, the orchestra concert proved to be a success that the audience thoroughly enjoyed.
On October 28th, Poly’s Orchestra held their first concert of the year with the theme of “Masquerade.” Matthew Gage Middle School’s string group also played in the Littleworth Theater and helped gather a large audience. Both groups primarily contain bowed instruments (violins, violas, cellos, and double basses) accompanied by percussion and a smaller wind section. The Poly Symphony Orchestra, one of the two ensembles in the orchestra program, played the United States National Anthem and “The Blue Danube Waltz,” a classical piece that has been a recognizable song through generations of history. They also performed “A Can-Can Festival,” which was a prideful and upbeat song that brought joy from the orchestra to the audience. It encouraged those sitting in the house to clap along at certain moments in the song to further enhance the music and enjoyment. These songs had a complex showcase of the conducting skills of Mr. Spenser Kalnin, the director of the whole program.
The Poly String Orchestra, the other ensemble present at school, played classical pieces such as “Basile’s Galop” and “Summer” from “The Four Seasons.” The former is an upbeat and jovial song that had the orchestra divided by section and showcased each group’s talents, and the latter is a classical and memorable song that has risen in popularity throughout the 20th and into the 21st century. Their last song, La Llorona, was a brooding and foreboding song that recollected the Hispanic folk tale of “La Llorona,” a story where a woman drowns her children out of anger and then spends the afterlife mourning and searching for them. Orchestra president Kien Biggs (12) expressed that his favorite piece was their last piece “because it was so fun to play and [he] had a solo in it”. Each song has its own narrative to tell with all tunes being memorable due to the hard work of the musicians and Mr. Kalnin preparing these pieces.
“La Llorona”.
For Gage’s set, they performed “Skin and Bones”, a Halloween seasonal song that sent shivers and frights when played, and “House of Untold Horrors”. The latter was a story song that had lyrical phrases and funny moments, with one of the middle school’s teachers, Mr. Carlson, making his first musical debut. “Freaky Forests” was a song that contained many different Halloween motifs and had many soloists throughout the chilling piece. The Gage’s orchestra did not disappoint, with each piece bringing the spooky season to life while also showing the extravagant conducting by their director, Mr. Aaron Guzman.
The concert was an overall amazing experience, with sponsors, parents, and kids feeling the thrills and chills of each song. The Poly Orchestra’s next performance will be their Holiday Concert in December; you will not want to miss it! Ask Mr. Kalnin or any orchestra student for when it will take place if you are interested in attending.