The Fall Honors Concert on Monday, October 13, in the Albany High School Little Theater, had all the elements of a great band concert. The selection of songs was one that you might actually want to listen to for your own enjoyment, rather than the usual high school band music. All of the songs fit the relaxed autumn atmosphere of the concert. The sound was sharp and the lighting was dramatic and neither failed during the performance. The brief ten-minute intermissions between the different ensembles allowed audience members to mingle while performers set up for the next group.
The evening started with the Wind Ensemble, formerly called Concert Band. Wind Ensemble began with some exciting marches, but the highlight was Eric Whittacre’s October, a piece that really showcased the students’ ability to play controlled yet emotional music.
Due to a change in the program, the String Orchestra performed in the place of the Chorale. The String Orchestra played a varied program, including Fantasia on an Original Theme by Joseph J. Phillips and the bongo-drum accompanied Petite Tango by Casey Kriechbaum.
The highly talented Jazz Band finished the evening with some foot-tapping pieces such as Witch Craft by Cy Coleman and Filthy McNasty by Horace Silver. The Jazz Band performance featured many amazing soloists, including the smooth-playing Tad Nicol on tenor saxophone with Somewhere Over the Rainbow.
This was the first time the instrumental music department put on a concert in October. Instructor Craig Bryant said, “I was really proud of the students for their work.”
The only thing absent from this great concert was a large crowd. Yes, the usual assortment of parents and siblings was there, but more students could have come out to support their talented classmates.
Bryant remarked, “it was a nice crowd of people, really polite, and they were into it,” but that he hoped that there would be a larger audience next year.
It was obvious that band students are in good hands with Bryant; the whole concert focused on the talent of the students and quality of their work.
You can catch Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band and String Orchestra on December 15 and Jazz Band, Jazz Lab and Rhythm Bound on December 16 in the upcoming Winter Concert.
Whoooo…