By Courtney Zapp | Staff writer
From captivating mountain calls and music from around the world to a mallet performance and realistic sounds of rainfall, Indian Trail High School & Academy’s music department recently brought the school auditorium to life with its bands, orchestras, and choirs.
For weeks, students have been prepping and preening themselves for their winter concerts. Three performances unveiled the talent of these three branches of Indian Trail’s music program.
The choir program debuted on Nov. 20 with the theme “Heart of Fire.” The band department followed closely with its fall concert on Nov. 26, featuring all of the bands here at Indian Trail. Lastly, there was the orchestra concert on Dec. 4, just in time to get people ready for the winter season.
All three groups began working on pieces for these concerts as early as the first day of school. Stress and anticipation built up and could be felt by anyone walking the halls of the school’s music wing during the last week before the curtain went up.
“Any time you’re on stage there is always going to be an element of stress,” said Keith Robinson, Indian Trail’s or- chestra instructor. “Of course, each concert is a great experience for the students.”
The choirs’ “Heart of Fire” theme could be seen in the eyes of the students as they sang with confidence and robust. No matter what part students played, all were important and significant in their own way, combining to create music to enjoy and cherish.
“There is something different about actually performing on stage,” says Rachel Boris, a senior and second soprano in Chorale. “It’s in every fiber of your being.”
The recent adding of the General Studies side of the school has expanded the population and possibilities for the music program as well. Not only does Indian Trail have four choirs and four bands, but two orchestras as well. The growth has prompted teachers, as well as students, to expand to different and more difficult pieces and instruments.
“This is the first time we are having a percussion ensemble,” said Margaret Harms, who plays several instruments, such as the xylophone.
“As our groups grow, so does our audience,” Robinson said, about the recent turnouts for concerts. ”It has been so exciting to watch the program grow since the beginning of the comprehensive high school.”