AHS orchestra has been hard at work over the past month to prepare for their upcoming concert on Dec. 7.
This will be the second concert held by the AHS orchestra this year, and one that they will look to build on strides made in their first concert to take their performance to the next level.
“This year has been so fun to teach,” orchestra teacher Anne Ray said.
“All of our ensembles are working together and reaching towards a common, high goal. The students have worked so hard in the pursuit of pushing themselves. I am incredibly proud of how hard they have worked and the extra practice they have put in,” Ray said.
This group has special comradery, and it is shown in their performance.
Three outstanding seniors, Jenna Saykhamphone, Armen Boghosian, and Shalini Vlcan will all have solo performances on Dec. 7.
“As Concert master of the Philharmonic orchestra, I not only focus on my own musicality and skills, but my orchestra peers’ as well,” Boghosian said.
There are four performing ensembles in the orchestra- classic, sinfonia, symphony, philharmonic. All of which are essential to the success of the group, and together, they can accomplish special things for the Atoms this year.
“Students have practiced extra hard during W4, pride time, and afterschool,” Saykhamphone said. “I even see some students come in before school to practice, and some students have enhanced their practicing by listening to the recordings and practicing their songs at different rhythms.”
In addition to coming to support the orchestra on Dec. 7, students can come to the pre-concert bakesale held on the same day after school, where students will be dressed in holiday fashion to help raise funds for the orchestra. All funds will go to new instruments and equipment for the students.
There is an exciting buzz surrounding this opportunity for the AHS orchestra, as they look to capitalize on the momentum they have built in their upcoming opportunity.
“The winter concert is where the program truly kicks into gear and the magic happens in the classroom, and on the stage,” Ray said.