VHS Music Department performs in small groups

The VHS Chamber Concert occurred between 7 and 8:45 p.m. Feb. 3 in the Little Theater. In total, 60 students performed. However, they were divided among 17 small groups, with several students performing in multiple groups. Each small group played a single piece. 

In chronological order, the first half of the concert featured “Round One” by Young Blood Brass Band, “Libertango” by Astor Piazolla, “Souvenir de Caen” by Yokoyama Shin-Itchiro, “Jupiter” by Gustav Holst, “Diffusion” by Gordon Goodwin, “Theme from Love Story,” “Underground Tango” by Goran Bregovic, “Finale from the American Quartet” by Antonin Dvorak and “Honeymoon Swoon” by Werner Toutz. 

Following a brief intermission, the concert continued with “Shared Space” by Ivan Trevino, “Three Pirates Shanties,” “Don’t Worry Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin, “Danza Macabre” by Camille Saint-Saens, “Reflections” by Hinata, “Themes from La La Land,” “Deep River Mountain High” by Tina Turner and “Touch Me” by The Doors.

Eva Lechner-Hill ‘23, a clarinet and alto sax player who performed “Jupiter” and “Touch Me,” said, “I thought the concert was very cute. Performing in the Litter Theater is a lot more fun because you can actually see the audience. It’s so different from the other concerts that I can’t really compare them.”

Students performed some of the pieces in relevant clothing. For example, those who performed “Shared Space” wore pajamas to match the lullaby theme of the song. Students wore pirate costumes and added a treasure chest to the stage for “Three Pirate Shanties.” In addition, the stage lighting was altered to assimilate the respective ambiances of each piece.

Hannah Bae ‘24, a concertgoer, said, “I liked how there were so many different groups rather than just two or three. [However,] my favorite aspects of the concert were the stage lights and costumes. It helped set the atmosphere and mood of their songs and also was more enjoyable to watch.”

Kate Fallon ‘23, an oboe player, said, “[The chamber concert] is a lot more light and easy-going than other concerts, which can be a nice break. It feels a little more like performing for friends than a huge crowd. Leo Palma [‘23], Peyton Dahl [‘25] and Liam Genkel [‘23] did an amazing job producing the concert. The stagecraft people were also a huge help. We couldn’t have done it without them.”