Magic in the Music Department

By Julie Amoss

     The Glenelg music department is a hive of activity, with one of its parts almost always participating in some event or another. The fall season is full of events and concerts for the music department. Starting things off early, the Glenelg Concert Choir had their first concert on October twenty fifth, and it was immediately followed by Choral Day just two days later.

     The Pops concert is the first of the year for choir, and the first concert in the entire music department. It’s an entirely choral-based concert, although some of the groups sing with a professional band. Solo acts are also a featured part of the performance, allowing students to show off their own personal vocal talents. Every act shone despite the mere seven weeks of rehearsal time, and the solo acts were positively heavenly, each more beautiful than the last. Around six hundred people attended the event, and it was generally regarded as an excellent show for all involved.

      Choral day is an event where all of the choir programs from every feeder school to Glenelg gather in our auditorium and each sing a song. Students from grades four to twelve are showcased as parts of their respective choirs, with the Glenelg Madrigals, Women's, and Men’s ensembles all performing as well. At the end, every school joins together to sing one song as a group. The auditorium is of course packed for the performance, as over five hundred students perform across the nine grades featured in the event. The evening is chaotic and often a bit overwhelming; but it’s a lot of fun and the kids are the absolute sweetest.

      In October, the choir is allowed to volunteer at Larriland Farm serving apple fritters. They spend four hours of their weekend preparing and serving apple fritters to help pay for the choir’s annual spring trip, which this year will be to Williamsburg, Virginia. The stand is almost always busy, so it’s normally all hands on deck for the entire shift. The work is surprisingly fun and hardly feels like any kind of a chore, and it is especially enjoyable when you’re working with friends.

      The String Thing is an orchestra event that occurred on November first. pairing the Glenelg Orchestra and the Glenwood Orchestra to showcase both groups’ prowess. The Glenelg String Orchestra and Glenelg Chamber Orchestra performed alongside the Glenwood Orchestra, showcasing each groups’ individual prowess and their skill as one cohesive group. Although the show could have been “a little more in tune”, as Izzy Beaumont, a Sophomore violinist, puts it, “It was pretty good overall.” The event was definitely an experience for the younger kids, some of whom are performing with older students for the first time.

     The Glenelg Marching Band is still performing at football games with the Cheer Squad and Color Guard. They perform the school fight song during intermission, complete with marching choreography. The group is constantly improving and working to better their performance for the future, although they already set a high bar of excellence for themselves. However, every group now has turned their focus to the Winter Concert.

     The Winter Concert is an event where every part of the Glenelg Music Department performs a variety of holiday music, and it is already looking like it will be a highlight of the winter season. Tickets are available immediately following Thanksgiving break for pre-order and can be purchased at the door as well for just eight dollars.

      Approximately a quarter of the school’s population has a part in at least one group, and for many the fine arts wing is like a second home. Although the Music Department doesn’t perform every week or go to state tournaments -although there is adjudication in March- like the sports teams, the department is always busy, and definitely worth keeping an eye on now and in the future.