« Seen... and not believed | Main | Reader for fun (?) and profit »
May 27, 2006
Kaleidoscope
GR's younger daughter is a senior at West Genessee High School, where I must say they are justifiably proud of their music program. Thursday they presented their 31st annual Kaleidoscope performance. I was very impressed, both with the orchestration of the event and the talent of these many high school artists.
West Genee has a music department staff that is larger than the entire music staff of the school district where I went to school. 26 for band, strings, vocals, and general music, plus another 12 for visual arts, 1 for dance, and a dedicated secretary. Wow. The school has a much-honored marching band, but also has a concert band, orchestra, symphony (amazingly large for a single high school), plus wind ensemble and jazz ensemble.They have a concert choir, chorus, and chorale, and both intermediate dance and dance ensemble. These details seem important to me because I've never seen a high school with such a large or diverse music program.
And, while I'm being impressed, these young people are amazingly talented. It was hard to believe, sitting there listening, that these were not professional groups.
The Kaleidoscope effect was brilliant. The program made great use of the Civic Auditorium's main stage, rising stage, alcoves and balcony alcoves to present the various parts in a seamless (if sometimes slow to transition) presentation, blended together and moving audience attention from one part of the room to the other. Good, crisp finishes by the groups using a freeze-frame technique gave the whole program that extra snap.
It's not often that a school performance impresses me. This one really did, so I thought I'd share it.
Posted by cageyer at May 27, 2006 09:29 AM
Comments
Last year, I taught at the high school that held the Center for Fine Arts (our county's attempt at having speciality centers, a la college experiences). I've dabbled in an instrument or two in my day, but each time I sat down to play with those students, I would marvel at their creativity and ability to learn complicated music rapidly. To say that those young people were talented is an understatement. I can only imagine what you got to experience.
What does young GR play?
Posted by: Tamika at May 31, 2006 01:14 AM