Eighth Graders Give Inspiring Performance at Scarsdale Middle School

Parents and friends of the eighth grade Cooper and Popham Chorus and Orchestra gathered in the auditorium for the Scarsdale Middle School Winter Concert on Thursday December 12. At the end of a long workday for both students and parents, the young musicians brought energy to the stage and gave their worn-out parents the holiday cheer many needed. The long-anticipated winter break seemed closer as the students filled the cold SMS auditorium with warmth.

The chorus opened the concert, grabbing the audience with Sing We Joy by Henry Purcell and Patrick Liebergen and Sway (Quien Será) by Norman Gimbel and Pablo Beltran Ruiz. Students said they enjoyed rehearsing Sing We Joy since it "filled the chorus room with excitement and of course, joy!" Since they performed songs they liked, many students say they were more inclined to practice at home, make an effort to memorize the lyrics, and listen to those around them to stay on pitch. Some even found themselves humming and singing in the hallways after chorus class! The second piece particularly engaged the students who study Spanish since they were able to explain some of the lyrics to their French counterparts. To some, singing in English is difficult enough, so performing before an audience in another language required focus and repetition at rehearsals.

After the chorus performed two pieces, orchestra director Rachel Han cheerfully addressed the audience. She announced excitedly that this was her first performance with the group, as she is new to the district this year. She has clearly done an astonishing job motivating students to practice, concentrate during rehearsals, and push themselves to new levels as they improve as both musicians and students. Like athletes of team sports, each musician takes responsibility and accountability for the part they play in the overall success of the group. Though it is early in the school year, Ms. Han has already taught the students many new skills to help each play their role. Ananta Wadwha, a violinist in Popham house, speaks highly of her new teacher. "Ms. Han has great demeanor. She is teaching us the basics that some of the students didnʼt learn such as tuning and proper position. She is very helpful and sweet so that makes us want to play more. She is patient and the orchestra has improved."

The orchestraʼs first piece, Themes from Howlʼs Moving Castle, was a waltz composed by Joe Hisaishi and arranged by Victor Ruiz-Azuaga. It featured student Ismael Ameen on the piano. The piece was a "whimsical journey filled with adventures," according to Ms. Han. It was also written in 3/4 time, one of the more difficult signatures. Of the challenges the orchestra faced, Ananta says "(The music involved) a lot of shifting positions and complicated rhythms." They seemed to overcome these obstacles and even sparked the interest of the restless chorus students in the audience, eagerly awaiting their return to the stage.

When the chorus resumed their performance, they sang Fascinating Rhythm by George and Ira Gershwin and I Dreamed a Dream from "Les Miserables." The former has been added to the Library of Congressʼs National Recording Registry as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically important," according to the choral studentsʼ research. The second, I Dreamed a Dream was the popular favorite since most of the students have seen or heard the film version of "Les Miserables" that received an Oscar in 2012. The song, performed by Anne Hathaway in the modern film, demanded more emotion and tone in its performance than the lighter, more upbeat songs of the concert.

The variety of song choices made the concert engaging to the audience as well as a more positive experience for the students. There was something to satisfy everyones' tastes. Some songs had significance in a historical context; Sing We Joy withstood over 350 years of history to arrive at a stage in Scarsdale in the 21st century. Others appealed to those interested in contemporary music or theater. Even if they didnʼt realize it, the singers surely learned some history, culture, and Spanish vocabulary in the process of learning about voice and working together as a performing group.

When the orchestra performed their second piece, they were joined by four band students, Kelsey Chin on the flute, Melanie Holmes on the oboe, Anna Marie Horn on the clarinet, and Mariko Asai on the French horn. Symphony No. 40, in G-minor, was composed by Mozart in his late years. The orchestra and band members learned to collaborate while rehearsing Mozart. At times, parents may have forgotten that the music enthusiasts on stage were indeed pre-teens and not experienced adults. Ms. Han explained to the audience that one of the studentsʼ goals for this year was to perform a piece as purely written, without transposing nor omitting sections. Thus, the students were presented with several challenges in preparing the piece; They were practicing the same parts performed by accomplished musicians in the New York Philharmonic!

The last piece of the concert was a traditional Russian sleigh ride composed by Sergei Prokofiev, who is well known for "Peter and the Wolf." The piece had rapid tempo changes and encompassed contrasting lyrical passages in a nationalistic, spirited style. Ananta says, "Troika was especially difficult. We had to learn a new pizzicato [plucking strings] technique and [add] percussion to make sure it didn't fall apart." It was a fun, cheery ending to an entertaining holiday concert.

All in all, the SMS students have worked hard this fall to learn new skills, polish those lost over the summer, better understand group dynamics, and discover their potential as musicians. They look forward to the start of a new year and a new chapter in their growing musical careers and will, without a doubt, impress their parents again at the spring concert in 2014.