Students sing, play in winter concert

Sharp Appeal prepares to go onstage. Lavi Ben-Dor/The SPOKE

Reported and photographed by Lavi Ben-Dor, Convergence Editor

About 300 students performed in the winter concert on Dec. 7, the first of two, featuring all the Conestoga choral ensembles as well as the Symphony Orchestra. Conestoga’s choral department consists of Chanteuses, Chorale, auditioners for District 12 chorus, Camerata and Concert Choir, as well as two upperclassmen a cappella groups: Sharp Appeal (girls) and Voice Males (boys).

The performing groups sang and played a variety of pieces both modern and classical, including songs from musical, holiday tunes, and various pieces written for chorus and instrumental accompaniment–several pianists, a violinist, a flute player and a percussionist each accompanied the choirs in one or several pieces. 

The orchestra played excerpts of P. I. Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker” suite and his Symphony No. 6. To round out the concert, all the choral students and the orchestra performed ”The Awakening” by Joseph M. Martin, a work that celebrates the importance of music.

“I think it went pretty well–everybody sounded good,” said junior singer Michael Bennett. “It shows that a group of hardworking, dedicated individuals, when they put their minds to it, can achieve anything.”

Junior Soonsoo Park, who sang and accompanied the chorus and played in the orchestra on flute, said that the success of the concert demonstrates the strength of Conestoga’s music program.

The concert “went very smoothly. It shows music is very important here, as despite other schools cutting back on music, we have a lot of kids involved in music who are dedicated and passionate about what they do,” Park said.

Sophomore Chason Goldfinger conducts Camerata singing his piece "Tempestas." Lavi Ben-Dor/The SPOKE

Sophomore Chason Goldfinger, whose piece “Tempestas” was premiered by Camerata at the concert, said he enjoyed having the chance to both have his piece performed by the elite ensemble and to conduct it himself.

“I was quite pleased [by how "Tempestas" went],” Goldfinger said. “It was a wonderful opportunity, and it was so great working with Camerata. I think that it turned out very well.”

Lavi Ben-Dor can be reached at lbendor@stoganews.com.