Branching Out: Choir, Band, Orchestra, Jazz Band Join Forces for Fall Concert
October 31, 2022
Chloe Yokitis
Editor
At the ACHS Music Department’s Fall Concert on October 26, the Advanced Choir, Wind Ensemble, Virtuosi Orchestra and Jazz Band “A” performed. Each of these groups is the most advanced level of its ensemble type.
Choir
The ACHS advanced choir performed three songs: “The Lake” by Jay Althouse, “I Put a Spell on You” by Bette Midler and Jaw Hawkins (arr. Jacob Narverud) and “Defying Gravity” by Stephen Schwartz (arr. Mark Brymer).Theodore Thorpe III, left, has been the ACHS Director of Choral Activities for over a decade. He directs the Advanced Choir, pictured, as well as the Mixed and Concert choirs.As its second song of the night, the choir performed the lively “I Put a Spell on You” as the performers danced and snapped to the beat. The song is known for being featured in the hit Halloween movie Hocus Pocus.
Band
The band warms up on stage before beginning its first song.Sophomore Cole Austin, center, plays the bass clarinet.Nathaniel Niblock, junior, plays the drums in both the Wind Ensemble and Jazz Band “A.”The Wind Ensemble performed “Emperata Overture” by Claude T. Smith, “Elegy” by John Barnes Chance, and “The Pathfinder of Panama” by John Phililp Sousa.Senior Nathaniel Burkhead, center, plays the flute.The wind ensemble, directed by Timothy Grant (not pictured), is the most advanced concert band at ACHS.
Orchestra
Veronica Jackson, the ACHS Orchestra Director, has taught at ACPS for ten years. This is her third school year at ACHS. Jackson also sponsors the ACHS chapter of the Tri-M Music Honor Society.From left, sophomore Corbin Winters and junior Zacharia Stover play the bass.The Virtuosi orchestra performed two songs: “Choreography from Noram Dellio Joio 11” adagio, molto sostenuto and “String Symphony #12 in G minor” by Felix Mendelssohn IV in allegro molto.The Virtuosi Orchestra boasts 26 members, ranging from freshmen to seniors.
Jazz Band
From left: Senior James Ambrose, junior Silas Adkins-Hooke, senior Dan Salmons, senior Lucas Zahlan, senior Eli Speckart and junior Violet Planet perform “Just Friends” by John Kienner (arr. Joe Jackson). Their second and third songs of the night were “Self-Portrait in Three Colors” by Charles Mingus (arr. Sy Johnson) and “Blue Bossa” by Kenny Dorham (arr. Mark Taylor).Junior Duncan McCall performs the piano.From left, sophomore Julian Ambrose, senior Henry Bingman and senior Jalon Reed play trumpets.Sophomore Julian Ambrose performs a trumpet solo.Vaughn Ambrose, a saxophonist, performs a solo. After his solo, he and his son, sophomore Julian Ambrose (not pictured), performed a duet.From left, Saxophonists Violet Planey, Eli Speckart and Silas Adkins-Hooke perform “Blue Bossa.”
Chloe (she/her) is a junior and Theogony editor. This is her second year as a writer and her first as an editor. She enjoys writing local news and style articles. In her free time, she likes to read, sew and spend time with her family.
