A couple weeks ago, the music program put on a concert like they had never done before. It was called the “Olin Hall Extravaganza,” and most of the musical groups in the department performed in a single concert. This was a first due to logistics, the smaller than normal amount of music some groups were confined to, and the overlap in people between groups. The performing groups were, in order: The Roanotes, Concert Choir, Chamber Singers, Jazz Band, and Wind Ensemble.
The Roanotes took the stage first, performing two songs. The first was “Supercut” by Lorde with soloist Anna Stephenson. The second was “Treat People with Kindness” by Harry Styles with soloist William Phillips.
After the Roanotes came the Concert Choir, who performed four pieces. First was “Killing Me Softly” by Charles Fox, Norman Gimbel, and Lori Lieberman, arranged by Deke Sharon. It had three soloists, Carli Ruff, Devany Cao, and Meghan Wagner, one for each verse. Second was “Father William” which is part of a larger series by Irving Fine entitled “Three Settings of Alice in Wonderland” where verses of the book are set to music. Third was “Mata del Anima Sola” which translates to “Tree of the Lonely Soul” by Antonio Estévez. The song was performed in Spanish with soloist Abel Gamelin. The final selection of the Concert Choir was “Somewhere” from West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim featuring soloist Colby Thompson.
The Chamber Singers took the stage next, performing “Love Walked In” by George and Ira Gershwin, arranged by Steve Zegree.
The next switch required more equipment to be moved as the Jazz Band was next. They performed two pieces. First was “Backatown” by Troy Andrews (Trombone Shorty), arranged by John Wasson. The soloists were Annie Giannetto, Colby Thompson, and Benjamin Hathaway. Next was “A Few Good Men” by Gordon Goodwin, arranged by Ralph Ford with soloist Colby Thompson.
The final switchover was the longest as the brothers of Kappa Kappa Psi worked to move the Jazz Band equipment and set up the Wind Ensemble. The Wind Ensemble performed three pieces. First was “Galop Festivo” by well-known current composer Randall Standridge. Second was “Symphonic Mountain Fantasy” which is an award-winning composition by Trenton Rhodes, chosen by the band manager who has a close connection with the piece and wanted to share a piece by her friend. Finally, they performed “Octane” by another current composer, Dakota Pederson.
The concert concluded with the choirs filling the aisles and the students in Jazz Band taking the stage again with the Wind Ensemble as Dr. Pekel taught the Alma Mater, as per tradition. The students who participate in both instrumental and vocal ensembles remained onstage to provide instrumental accompaniment along with the instrumental musicians of Wind Ensemble and Jazz Band in a new arrangement of the Alma Mater. It still has some kinks to work out, but the instrumental version is close to being finalized.
Kathryn McElfresh
Staff Reporter
