The rain could not stop the impressive turnout Monday night, for the last band concert of the year. All year long, the bands have been packing the auditorium to hear the musical talents of the Jazz Band, Freshmen Band, Wind Ensemble, and Concert Band.
"Thank you for joining us tonight," welcomed Director Heidi Olson. "We have a great program and I'm looking at the weather outside thinking this is a fabulous place to be tonight. You've got great music you get to enjoy, and we get to celebrate with the seniors for their last band concert."
Solo & Ensemble
This concert started with a special treat by highlighting the ensembles and individuals that earned an excellent or superior rating at the solo and ensemble competition in April. Groups were featured during the concert and prior to the show as their friends and family filed in to find seats.
Olivia Johnson, Morgan McAlpin, and Isabella Rasmussen all played clarinet solos accompanied by Mrs. Olson on the piano. Teanna Britton and Maria Yurkew played a flute duet and trumpet trio Shayla Jackson,
Emily Splettstoesser and Molly Caouette played Fanfair and Air. Nick Freeman and Shane Moosai performed a trombone duet, and Teanna Britton played the flute solo Menuett while accompanied by Hannah Fussy on the piano. Fussy later played a solo on the drum set, High In The Air. The low brass quartet included Rachel Adams, Riley Bergstrom, Nick Freeman, and Shane Moosai.
Between bands in the concert, four senior clarinet players, Kendal Janousek, Olivia Johnson, Morgan McAlpin, and Isabella Rasmussen, performed Sarabande and Corrente by Arcangelo Corelli. The last ensemble was a jazz combo playing the familiar New York, New York (arranged by Dave Wolpe) featuring Adrianna Burrows, Cole Carlson, Shayla Jackson, Deanna Kopis, Sierra Kooistra, Andrea Doty, Hannah Fussy, and Andrew Knudson.
April 7, 40 BLHS band students participated in Solo and ensemble competition at Andover High School. Of the 37 Big Lake groups that performed, 13 received an excellent rating and 24 received a superior rank. All of the groups and individuals playing at the concert Monday night earned excellent or superior marks.
Jazz Band
Jazz band came out swinging with the well-loved hit It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) arranged by Mark Taylor. This dance floor favorite featured a trumpet duet by Sierra Kooistra and Deanna Kopis as well as solos by Megan Wendlandt on the alto sax and Jessica Stenberg on the piano.
Next, Rebecca Shirk came onstage to direct the sassy Roy Phillippe arrangement of Respect, of Aretha Franklin fame, with Cole Carlson wailing out a tenor sax solo. Shirk has been the student teacher for the past eight weeks from St. Cloud State University and just graduated last weekend. Shirk directed one piece with each of the bands throughout the evening.
The final jazz band number was Second To None, a Cajun groove reminiscent of Mardi Gras that composer Ethan Freier wrote for his son. The New Orleans vibe was created by solos on the tenor sax (Hunter Snyder), vibraphone (Andrea Doty), and electric guitar (Andrew Knudson).
Freshmen Band
The freshmen band started off with the joyous Festive Proclamation by William Owens. This heroic and lively piece was directed by Shirk and evokes tickertape parades with regal musical flourishes and harmonic textures.
The next number, Instant Concert by Harold L. Walters, was a whirlwind trip though an assortment of famous motifs: March Militaire, William Tell, New World Symphony, Anniversary Song, Pagliacci, Chicken Reel, Waltz of the Flowers, Bridal Chorus, Rule Britannia, Jingle Bells, Cielito Lindo, Dance of the Hours, La Sorella, Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair, Hava Nagila, Grandfather's Clock, Chiapanecas, Westminster Chimes, Irish Washerwoman, Deck the Halls, Poet and Peasant, When the Saints Go Marching In, My Old Kentucky Home, Blue Danube, Humoreske, Orpheaus, Anvil Chorus, Down by the Riverside, The Billboard, and Dixie.
"That one really is a great way to bring the classics into the program," said Olson about Instant Concert. "It was fun to show the lesson books from sixth , seventh and eighth grade that had these snippets in them. We'd be playing them and the students would recognize the tunes because they had them in their lesson book. It brought it all together."
The last piece the freshmen band performed was Quad City Stomp by Michael Sweeney. This full-bodied, energetic piece included clapping, stomping, and fun percussion sounds. A meditative, slightly Celtic, melody in the middle adds instrument sections and builds to the boisterous conclusion. Finishing Quad City Stomp, the band took its final concert bow as freshmen.
Wind Ensemble
Flight of the Piasa by Robert Sheldon was the first number for the Wind Ensemble. This piece portrays the legendary Piasa, a enormous winged creature, and the bravery of the tribe who defeated it. The mystical, intricate music flows and grows, all sweeping into a majestic finale.
Shirk directed the Wind Ensemble's final piece, Robert Lowden's arrangement of I Dreamed a Dream, an iconic song from the Broadway show Les Miserables. The character of Fantine sings this hauntingly mournful song after all the dreams she had for life come crashing down around her.
Concert Band
Concert band started their set with Antecedium, a grand, yet lively, number composed by Ed Huckeby. Their second piece, Scottish Sunrise - Morning Has Broken, arranged by Travis J. Weller, incorporates the Celtic hymn Morning Has Broken into the melody. Shirk musically directed the progression of the first rays twinkling on the horizon, the sun cresting over a mountain, mist dancing in streaming golden sunbeams, the valley awakening, and finally the morning bustle of a secluded hamlet.
Wind ensemble joined Concert Band to portray Music From Jurassic Park, arranged by Jay Bocook. The familiar John Williams melodies floated through
the auditorium, contrasting the magic aura of the island with the strength and ferocity of the dinosaurs.
"When I ordered this piece last fall, I talked with the students, and this is what they wanted to play. It was almost unanimous to play Jurassic Park," recalls Olson. "It's a fabulous piece of music. It has great dynamics, it showcases each of the different instrument groups, and I think you will really enjoy the mood of this piece of music."
Recognition
Before the last song, Olson wanted to recognize several groups within the band. Six students were honored for perfect pep band attendance which included 16 performances this school year. Also mentioned were students who admirably represented Big Lake by participating in honor band, jazz band, and the solo and ensemble competition.
"I'm fortunate to work with these students every day. I'm very, very thankful for their dedication and the hard work they've put in through the years," said Olson about all of her band students.
Coming Full Circle
Then it was time to recognize the seniors, easily distinguishable by their white carnation corsages. After naming them and having them stand before their last song on the BLHS stage, Olson reflected, "This is the culmination of four years. I appreciate their dedication. They've been fabulous leaders. Parents, you should be extremely proud of your seniors."
All of a sudden, "One, two, three, four!" was yelled across the auditorium and the seniors broke into two songs from their sixth grade year. Just like popcorn, each section stood to play their phrase of the first song, creating a playful, bouncing wave of musicians. They remained standing for the second piece.
Isabella Rasmussen took the microphone as others ran for gifts stashed offstage.
"From the senior class, we just wanted to play these two songs, Popcorn Prelude and G-Force 5. We were Mrs. Olson's last full year of sixth grade students, and we also were her first freshman class here at the high school. So, we thought it would be fitting that since it was our last concert, we would bring it back to where we started with our 6th grade songs. Thank you so much, Mrs. Olson. Thank you for the best four years."
From offstage, the students procured a bouquet of flowers and a snare drum with all their senior pictures on it and presented them to their band director.
One Last Song
The last piece of the evening was Elements by contemporary composer Brian Balmages. Elements is a petite symphony, a short, four-movement work that follows the traditional symphonic structure. Each movement is named after a specific element: "Air", the Allegro non troppo section, lightheartedly rises, dips, and plays before vanishing; "Water", the Largo movement, is peaceful and reflective while revealing great depth and power; "Earth", the Scherzo, evokes green images of new plants and sparkles with life; "Fire", the Allegro vivace movement, is a driving, energetic, pounding close to the song.
As the last notes died away and the band bowed one last time, the crowd moved to the atrium where cake was served. Hugs were abundant as students wanted to get one last picture with Mrs. Olson or a classmate.
Upcoming Events
The Monday night concert is available to view at
www.nfhsnetwork.com for those who could not attend.
The concert band and wind ensemble will play one last time at Commencement June 10 at 7:30 p.m. Other musical events include the high school choir concert May 16 at 7:30 p.m. and the Memorial Day drumline, which marches to the Big Lake Cemetery at 10 a.m. May 30.
