BY RACHEL WINDLER
Oct. 30, the day before Halloween, orchestra's New Strings, Concert, and Chamber groups (beginner,advanced, and varsity) performed an amazing concert. As told by first violin, second chair, Chamber orchestra.
Sitting through the day, I could hardly think of anything else but changing into my long black dress and performing. Once everyone was dressed, instruments tuned, and ready to go, it was 6:50 on the dot. The concert would start in ten minutes.
We filed out of the room and I said, twice, "She said quietly. Shut up!" -- Mrs. Reiner had said to walk to the auditorium quietly. The Chamber orchestra sat in the audience through the New Strings' set and the Concert orchestra's set, who both did stellar jobs at their performances. Then it was our turn.
I had to lead the first row to their seats, then gave a cue for us to sit down at once. A cold trickle of nerves went down my back and settled in my stomach. Despite this, I had minimal mistakes, and my group performed excellently: "Variations on a Well-Known Sea Chanty," "Waltz No. 2," "Rhythms of Africa" and "Ashokan Farewell" went perfectly. As we played "Ashokan Farewell," Jannelle Titus read a letter written by a soldier in the Civil War to his love to complete the effect of the piece. "Ashokan Farewell" means "goodbye without sadness." Ironic, considering that the man who wrote it was killed a week later in the Civil War himself.
Despite all of that, though, the kicker was our finale.
Mrs. Reiner was at the podium, delivering closing remarks, and all the lights shut off at once. She had just finished introducing our encore piece, "Rosin Eating Zombies". This was planned, of course, but the audience didn't know that. We played our special Halloween piece through the dark (we had lights on our music stands), which was complete with blood-curdling screams.
All in all, the audience enjoyed our show, we enjoyed performing, and only a single pair of shoes was left in the orchestra room after everyone had left.
Oct. 30, the day before Halloween, orchestra's New Strings, Concert, and Chamber groups (beginner,advanced, and varsity) performed an amazing concert. As told by first violin, second chair, Chamber orchestra.
Sitting through the day, I could hardly think of anything else but changing into my long black dress and performing. Once everyone was dressed, instruments tuned, and ready to go, it was 6:50 on the dot. The concert would start in ten minutes.
We filed out of the room and I said, twice, "She said quietly. Shut up!" -- Mrs. Reiner had said to walk to the auditorium quietly. The Chamber orchestra sat in the audience through the New Strings' set and the Concert orchestra's set, who both did stellar jobs at their performances. Then it was our turn.
I had to lead the first row to their seats, then gave a cue for us to sit down at once. A cold trickle of nerves went down my back and settled in my stomach. Despite this, I had minimal mistakes, and my group performed excellently: "Variations on a Well-Known Sea Chanty," "Waltz No. 2," "Rhythms of Africa" and "Ashokan Farewell" went perfectly. As we played "Ashokan Farewell," Jannelle Titus read a letter written by a soldier in the Civil War to his love to complete the effect of the piece. "Ashokan Farewell" means "goodbye without sadness." Ironic, considering that the man who wrote it was killed a week later in the Civil War himself.
Despite all of that, though, the kicker was our finale.
Mrs. Reiner was at the podium, delivering closing remarks, and all the lights shut off at once. She had just finished introducing our encore piece, "Rosin Eating Zombies". This was planned, of course, but the audience didn't know that. We played our special Halloween piece through the dark (we had lights on our music stands), which was complete with blood-curdling screams.
All in all, the audience enjoyed our show, we enjoyed performing, and only a single pair of shoes was left in the orchestra room after everyone had left.