FRISCO, TX — On Oct. 3rd, the Centennial High School orchestra program hosted its first concert of the year in the high school’s auditorium, and it was a massive success. All six orchestra levels joined together to play various pieces related to this year’s chosen theme: Under the Sea, such as Pirates of the Caribbean, The Little Mermaid, Legend of the Phantom Pirates, and Deep Sea Fandango.
Students in the orchestra program all enjoy the opportunity to play in these performances. “The orchestra concert was a very fulfilling experience,” Symphonic student Rachel Lee said. “It was so fun to play with my friends again.”
The orchestra concerts allow students to showcase the hard work and effort they put into learning, performing, and perfecting new and challenging music for their friends and family. However, preparing for concerts is more difficult than many may assume. A lot goes on behind the scenes to ensure a high-quality concert. Preparations for orchestra concerts begin nine weeks in advance and occur throughout the year, with a concert being held each school quarter.
Arranging these performances requires countless hours of hard work and endless amounts of patience. Centennial High School Orchestra Directors Mrs. Bell and Ms. Ho are excellent examples of leaders who exude these important qualities. Their students know them as people who go above and beyond when it comes to teaching by forming strong, impactful bonds with their students, being a big inspiration on a day-to-day basis, and being gifted mentors who put their students first.
Before the current concert concludes, the directors are already diligently looking ahead, arranging music for the following performance.“We usually start looking at music about a week before one concert happens in preparation for the next concert,” Orchestra Director Mrs. Bell said.
Training and working with the orchestra to learn the music is a vital part of concert preparation. This includes being present daily to guide all six orchestras in learning and better understanding their pieces. “Training and orchestrating all of our students to achieve concert-ready performances; I think that is the best part. The hardest part is just the administrative and logistical sides of things that take our focus away from the music-making.” Ms. Ho said.
With over 200 students involved, the Centennial High School Orchestra is a huge program. There are various roles and responsibilities involved, including the Orchestra Booster Club, officers, parents, and directors themselves.
“Putting together all of the different moving parts […] and making sure all of the stage setup goes how we want it, the timing of our warmups goes exactly as planned, that our cookies are laid out by the booster parents at the right time […] are all challenging parts to put together,” said Director Ms. Ho.
After a successful concert, orchestra officers, volunteers, and more stay behind to aid in taking down the stage and clearing the cafeterias. In classes the following days, lots of time is spent listening to recordings of the performances. Reflection is a key factor in improving not only individual skills but the orchestra as a whole. Asking questions such as, ‘How can I improve my sound?’ and ‘In what areas can I improve?’ are important for becoming better musicians for upcoming performances.
Orchestra students and directors are already working hard in order to prepare for their next performance on Dec. 5th in the Centennial Auditorium. Support your fellow Titans by coming down to support them!
