By: Mary Blakely Heuer and Reid Heavner
Staff Writers
On Thursday, Oct. 19, the instrumental music department took to the stage for their first concert of the year. For many students in the program, this was their first time performing in the Santa Rosa High School auditorium.
The SRHS and ArtQuest orchestra opened up the concert with five incredible pieces. One of the standouts was Brian Balmages’ “It Takes One to Tango,” which is a slow and powerful piece centering around Kevin Zhai’s cello solo. “[I had to] really watch the emotions. That’s what brings the tango alive,” said Zhai, who has been performing with the ArtQuest orchestra since his freshman year.
In honor of their upcoming Disneyland trip, the orchestra ended their repertoire with “The Garland Waltz” by Tchaikovsky, written for the ballet The Sleeping Beauty. Nearly 70 years after the piece’s composition, Disney adapted it into the crowned centerpiece of their animated film: the song “Once Upon a Dream.” “[We were] happy with how it sounded, and it was so much fun to put together,” said instrumental music director Tim Decker.
After the orchestra’s final note rang, the SRHS and ArtQuest concert band began their set. This group is primarily composed of newcomers to the band program, and for these students, performing in their first high school concert was a new and challenging experience. “This was my first concert, so I was kinda just working out some things, but I’m excited . . . [be]cause I’ll have more experience, so I’ll be able to play better [in the next concert],” said freshman Lily Morgan, who plays the tenor saxophone. The band’s starring song was the theme from the 1985 smash-hit film Back to the Future. The piece is an energetic, funky piece originally composed by Alan Silvestri.
When the concert band’s percussionist unexpectedly couldn’t make it to the concert, junior Patrick Schott stepped in at the last minute. Right before the concert began, his friend Omé Zúñiga told him, “[We] need a percussionist, by the way,” to which Schott replied, “Alright, I got this.” The experience of sight-reading during a live performance was nerve-wracking, he admitted, but his bravery paid off, and all three songs the concert band performed received high praise.
The SRHS and ArtQuest symphonic band began their repertoire after a brief intermission, and out of their repertoire, countless band members agreed one piece was their favorite: “The Anguish of Nosferatu” by Ed Kiefer. This song stood out because of its haunting and unique sound. “It’s really intense and it’s a lot of fun,” said upright bassist senior Johnny Ando, who is a member of all three instrumental music ensembles. “[There’s] a lot of energy that’s put into it.” Junior William Schuster, who has been playing trombone in the instrumental music program for more than two years, added that the piece “has a nice ambiance. It feels very spooky, which is the reason we picked it . . . [and] and it has a lot of cool rhythmic ideas, which makes it just really fun to play.”
For the concert’s finale, the concert band joined the symphonic band on stage for one last performance. Without an introduction, “Instant Concert” might sound a bit like a fever dream; by compiling 30 different melodies into one three-minute piece, Harold Walters aptly captures the audience’s undivided attention. “It came really [well] together with symphonic band,” said Morgan, who loved the experience of playing with a larger group of musicians.
As a whole, the performance was an exciting kickstart to this year’s instrumental music program. The three ensembles which performed at the concert created an energetic atmosphere with invigorating songs. Don’t forget to check out their next concert, which will be on Jan. 11, 2024, at 7:00 p.m.
