Music Concerts at NHS: What a Treat!

Author: Vanessa J. Scribner 

These past two weeks, the Fall Concerts for music students were held in the Norwell High School Auditorium. The Chorus and Guitar 2 performed on Thursday, October 22, and the Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Workshop, and Jazz Ensemble took the stage on Thursday, October 29. Both nights were highly enjoyable experiences, with great music performed by the talented students. 

On the 22nd, Chorus presented a diverse assortment of songs, each with very different tones and stories. They opened with “Turn,” a smooth, soulful piece sung in a round featuring solos from Meredith Elsden, Brielle Lestage, and Lily Carr. They then sang “Antiphonal Cantate,” a song sung in Latin that encourages the audience to “sing out a joyful new song.” The crowd favorite was “Some One,” a suspenseful, dynamic filled spooky song perfect for this time of year. Their closing piece was “Let Beauty Awake,” a lovely breezy jazz song featuring a solo from senior Lena Fourney. Afterwards, Guitar 2 played “Believer” by the Monkees and “Closing Time” by Semisonic, accompanied by vocalist and instructor Kathy Medairos and Madison Murray. 

At the October 29th concert, Symphonic Band performed “Pictures at an Exhibition” and “Ghost in the Machine,” another spooky season hit. Wind Ensemble played “March of the Trolls,” a fun and mischievous romp and “Heart Songs,” a poignant piece in three movements. “March of the Trolls” particularly stood out as sounding well done with lots of character. After a brief intermission, Jazz Workshop took the stage to an enthusiastic audience, playing “Comin’ Home Baby,” “Blues By Five,” and “Take the A Train.” Jazz Ensemble shone as a highlight of the night as well, performing “Lester Leaps In,” “The Sidewinder,” “This Masquerade,” and “Invitation,” with lots of solos by many students. 

This concert gave us a glimpse into what we can expect from our music classes in future concerts. Everyone played very well, despite the limited time to prepare. 

Many students who were not performing attended to support their friends, and the performances were enjoyable experiences on the whole.