entertain

The class had been practicing pieces, in order to get the pieces right and tweak everything a bit. The entire semester had been about learning and mastering the pieces, making them flawless. All throughout the classes of Ms. Winter, the students were practicing the routine that were to perform at the end of each piece they played and at the end of the concert. In a row, like disorderly cell mates, dressed in all different clothing, they walked down into the audience and took their designated seats. Soon, the performers would have an audience and look like a large black and white mass.

On Thursday, I attended, or rather played in a winter concert for my school orchestra. The pieces played were: "Merry Widow," "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Eve" & "Sinfonia in D" by Intermediate Orchestra, "Folk Tune & Fiddle Dance," "Medley of The Beach Boys" and "Celestial Fantasy" by Advanced orchestra, which I was in, and, "Sleigh Ride" and "Folk Songs of Somerset" by Symphonic Orchestra. There was also a viola ensemble and a bass ensemble that played. Symphonic Orchestra is composed of a string orchestra along with one trumpet, and a full percussion section, not including harps or a piano.

It had bells, a whip and reindeer noises made throughout the piece, what else could it be besides "Sleigh Ride?" The other piece by Symphonic Orchestra was an English folk tune, something that you might imagine an army of medieval knights galloping with and raiding a castle. Or just something satirical like Monty Python. The Symphonic Orchestra would be the best, of course; they were so together in everything. The bows moved in the same direction at the same time, like a well-choreographed wrestling match, without the sweaty, bearded men.

On to the Advanced Orchestra: "Folk Tune" was the first movement, then came "Fiddle Dance." "Folk Tune" sounded like what it was called, with kind of a copied melody from "Greensleeves." "Fiddle Dance" was what you would expect to hear at a hoedown, but a bit more elegant. There was this one section where the piece stated "In a jovial manner." My music teacher suggested that we imagine a jolly mill worker for that part, overweight and happy. I had formed a picture for myself of this area of the piece, but it was of a guy having a drink at a bar and singing. For Beach Boys, we played "In My Room," "Good Vibrations," "Barbra Ann" and "I Get Around." That was fun. The pieces were quite different from what one would expect from a string orchestra.

And Intermediate Orchestra: "Sinfonia in D" was a light, kind of free and airy piece, something similar to the works of Mozart. "Merry Widow" was somewhat ironic, but the point through the name could be seen. The piece was not particularly happy or sad, neither disturbing nor comforting. Just something that didn�t do much to stir the soul. It was just, there. "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Eve," I cannot recall, for it was mixed in with all the rest of those songs filled with Christmas-ness.

Altogether, it was an enjoyable experience, but there were complaints of the auditorium being too cold. At Carol Channing Theater, 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM, one week and one day from the beginning of winter vacation, an orchestra plays. And so it will play, every year.