Mosaic of melodies
Lab Band followed with “Billies Bounce” by Charlie Parker, a prolific saxophonist who pioneered bebop, a fast-paced and improvisation-focused style of jazz. Hart’s group finished their set with a rendition of “Sweet Pickles” by Kirstin Edkins, who played at one of Harker’s Concert Series this fall.
Jazz Band took the stage next to perform a rendition of Duke Ellington’s “Harlem Air Shaft,” which encapsulates urban life in 1940s Harlem. In multiple solos, frosh Nathaniel Steeg frequently applied and lifted a plunger mute to his trumpet, producing Ellington’s signature “wah-wah” effect.
“During my solo, I was thinking of the key notes I wanted to hit,” Nathaniel said. “It’s what I’ve been practicing over and over—we all worked really hard for this performance, and I hope the audience can hear that.”
They then performed Nat Adderley’s “Work Song,” “R U Chicken?” by Kris Berg, and followed by Ray Henderson’s “Bye Bye Blackbird,” featuring a trumpet solo from junior Ava Alvarez.
Orchestra’s strings section then joined Jazz Band to play their first combined set, “Bob-Omb Battlefield” by Koji Kondo, originally Nintendo’s primary overworld theme. Student conductor Patricia Li (10) directed the cheerful, funky rhythm for a cohesive performance.
“Getting Jazz Band and Orchestra to play together during rehearsals was chaotic at times,” Patricia said. “But in the end, everyone showed up in a really responsible manner and really listened to each other. I’ve done orchestra since elementary school, so I always love playing with other people, and I think it’s really fun to work as a team.”
Orchestra opened the second half with Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No. 3. Unlike other pieces of music where all musicians stay on stage, the Leonore Overture features an off-stage trumpet fanfare which sophomore Lucas Wu played.
Senior pianist Mindy Truong then performed the third movement of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2. As one of three winners of Harker’s annual concerto competition, Mindy received the opportunity to perform accompanied by the orchestra. After her performance, Mindy’s friends presented her with flowers and gift baskets to congratulate her.
“A lot of people came specifically for my performance, and just them being there and listening to my music was really meaningful to me,” Mindy said. “I spent so long learning this piece and only the people in my house have heard it. Being able to share this music with 200 other people in the room felt so nice because it changed from a process to a result that I was finally able to share.”
A year and a half ago, Mindy began learning the concerto and exploring beyond the score. She found that mapping autobiographical details with musical sections enhanced her understanding of the piece’s emotions.
“I picked this concerto because of the story behind it,” Mindy said. “This was [Rachmaninoff’s] comeback after falling into a huge depression. He dedicated the concerto to his therapist, Dr. Dahl. And in the concerto, I noticed some parts that are like hypnosis, whereas towards the end of this movement, you can hear a celebration and triumph.”
Orchestra concluded their program with the “Music of the Spheres Waltz” by Josef Strauss.
Jazz Band and Orchestra joined once again to perform “An American in Paris” by George Gershwin. Written to capture the sounds of a Parisian street corner, “he piece called for unorthodox additions to the standard orchestra like saxophones, celesta, and taxi horn-like notes. Conductor and instrumental music teacher Jaco Wong grew to appreciate “An American in Paris” after his own study abroad in Paris.
“I want the audience to walk away feeling like it’s a moment that we shared, appreciating the efforts and the amazing talents of these kids,” Wong said. “I hope someone leaves a concert like this and goes, ‘Wow, we have a pretty cool spread of different musical interests.’ I think it’s a very holistic program, and I feel a lot of pride in that.”
Senior Savitha Satish led the combined Orchestra and Jazz Band in the “La La Land Concert Suite” by Justin Hurwitz to close out the night, bringing the audience back to more modern times with a familiar tune.
“It’s really important to be a musician of the 21st century,” Wong said. “We’re playing different styles, playing all types of music. That’s totally aligned with what’s happening in the world right now. We should use music to continue to make friends with each other, to travel the world, and to learn as much as possible.”