‘Tis the season of holiday cheer; orchestra, band, and chorus have come for all to hear their winter concerts! It is finally that time of year for a celebration, including joyous holiday music. Apopka High’s orchestra, band, and chorus departments have prepared winter concerts showcasing festive music that they have been preparing for the last couple of weeks and or months. Though centered around the holidays, each concert differs depending on the department and creates enjoyable and unforgettable nights of entertainment for everyone.
APK’s band program had their Winter Prism Concert titled Ringing In The Holidays on November 30th and December 1st, 2023. Both of the concert nights had a downbeat of 7 pm sharp. The concert featured 30 performances, including full band, specific class groups, small groups, trios, duets, and solo acts. Songs from different genres were featured, such as jazz charts, marching band tunes, concert pieces, pop Christmas songs, and some classical ones as well. The concert was almost two hours in length. Band directors Jeremy Langford and Mark Ellis and their students had been preparing their pieces since late October. The band takes a full three days of practice the week of the concert to prepare, consisting of many run-throughs and dress rehearsals.
All of this preparation led to very successful concerts, both packed with numerous individuals of all ages. The concerts were a lot of fun to watch and for members to perform in and were a huge hit, earning standing ovations from the audience on both nights.
Apopka’s chorus program had its winter concert entitled Holiday Road on Thursday night, December 7th, 2023. The night of great festivity began at 6:30pm. The concert consisted of multiple holiday songs, with a ton of singing and dancing. There was a considerable number of groups featured in the concert, including both small and full groups.
There were even some stressful costume changes in between performances. Darter Chorus alumni also had the chance to join current members on stage for one of the last pieces of the night. This created a moment no one will forget for both the program and audience members.
Another truly unforgettable moment occurred during the concert. The chorus performed the song “Silent Night” at the end of the night. During this, every member went into the audience and sang around their family and friends. Chorus member Madison Mosey said this moment of the night was her “favorite” and “creates a feeling that is hard to replicate in any other instance.”Many individuals who attended the concert said they had a great deal of fun watching the choral members have fun on stage.
Chorus director Sandra Shafer and chorus students had been preparing for the winter concert, the moment their fall concert ended. Overall, the winter concert was a big success for the chorus department, with ample audience members attending and enjoying every minute.
The school’s orchestra program has its winter concert, titled Holiday Harmonies, on Thursday, December 14th, 2023, at 6:30 pm. The concert will feature both Christmas and Hanukkah songs. The students have been working on these pieces for the entirety of the second quarter of the school year in preparation. The Blue and White interviewed orchestra director Kayla Morris about the challenges she faced in preparing for the program’s winter concert. She responded, “The music is harder than it has been previously. We are shifting, using more intricate rhythms, and generally building our technique.” Members of the program are clearly improving, which many are excited to see.
The audience can also expect to see some fan-favorite holiday tunes, according to Morris. We next questioned Morris about how she chooses which pieces to play for a winter concert. She replied, “I pick pieces usually based on skill level. The pieces need to fit the theme, but they also need to fit the average skill level of the class. A piece that is too easy is boring, but a piece that is too hard is discouraging and not fun, so it is a balance.” Morris has multiple class groups, ranging from different skill levels that she is showing off for the winter concert. How exciting!
Clearly, the winter concert season is a bustling time of the year. Both the band and chorus concerts have been quite successful and a delightful form of entertainment. There is no doubt that the orchestra one will be, as well. Winter concerts are undeniably a jolly good way to spread cheer!
