Concerts ring in Music in Our Schools Month; performance rescheduled for Thursday
Published 10:11 am Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Two big concerts at Austin High School will showcase the talents of band, orchestra and choir students and kick off Music in Our Schools Month at 7 p.m. Thursday at Knowlton Auditorium.
Senior flutist Laura Siegfreid, who was recently named a “Best in Site” winner at solo/ensemble contest and received an honorable mention at the Dorian Music Festival at Luther College, will be a featured soloist at Tuesday’s concert. — Photo provided
The first concert — which has been rescheduled from tonight in response to weather conditions — comprises the Concert Choir, Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra, and will preview selections chosen for their Big 9 Music Festival programs in early May. The orchestra, under the direction of Gene Schott, will tackle two orchestral classics, Copland’s “Hoe-Down” and the first movement from Bethoven’s Fifth Symphony. The Wind Ensemble, directed by Bradley Mariska, will perform a work by Sam Hazo entitled “Arabesque,” featuring a flute solo by senior Laura Siegfreid.
An octet of cross country runners, prepared under the direction of choir director Brian Johnson, will perform “Trashin’ the Camp” from Disney’s “Tarzan.” Meanwhile, the jazz band will perform a Latin-jazz arrangement of “Tiger of San Pedro,” featuring junior trumpeter Jacob Burkhart.
The second concert, the Prep Concert, features the Mixed Choir, Concert Band, Prep Orchestra and Concert Orchestra. Selections include a string orchestra arrangement of Katy Perry’s “Firework” to a classic E.F. Goldman march, which includes audience participation.
In other upcoming music activities, the Jazz Band travels to Duluth on Friday and Saturday for the Head of the Lakes Jazz Festival and more than two dozen choir, orchestra and band students will audition for All-State ensembles on March 12.
