Concert Orchestra has their first performance of the year on Nov. 19. This concert will also include Philharmonic, Symphonic and Varsity orchestras. The Concert Orchestra includes part of the woodwind, brass and percussion instruments from the band, in one of the pieces. Many people are looking forward to a great performance that will include difficult pieces sure to impress the audience.
Concert Orchestra has always impressed their families, teachers, peers, other schools and judges. They have won many awards in the past, which shows their advanced skill level. One of their many achievements is that they have consistently received a superior rating at the MSHSL Large Group contests, a statewide orchestral competition. In addition, several of the students in Concert play for the Minnesota Youth Symphony and Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphony, two very prestigious youth symphonies.
Many members of Concert Orchestra have other commitments to music such as Con Amici chamber orchestra and private lessons. The skill of Concert Orchestra should not come as a surprise to anyone.
Although the group is smaller this year, the “quality of our music has definitely not gone down,” Director Ryan Jensen said.
The viola section lost several members who graduated in June. When asked if losing so many made the music choices difficult, Jensen said, “There’s some pieces that call for at least a minimum of six violas. And that makes it a little bit of an impossibility.”
“They’re doing a great job, and they know where they need to be by concert time,” He added. It is going to be exciting to see how the violas adapt and play in the upcoming performance.
The pieces being played by Concert Orchestra include Suite for Strings by John Rutter, a Scottish and British piece composed around several love stories. And The Unfinished Symphony by Franz Schubert which was never fully composed making it “unfinished”.
“Concert orchestra sets the bar high for the coming years. We’ve had a small class for the past few years, and the quality of our music has not gone down. We’ve been able to maintain an extremely high quality of musicianship and music making within our class,” Jensen said.
They play their first concert in the high school auditorium on Nov. 19. Audience members are excited to see the Concert orchestra kick off a great season with anticipation for another performance in December.
