By ISABELLA OH
Staff Writer

The music department held their annual band concert to great success despite a rushed time schedule. Mr. Heddon (Visual and Performing Arts Dept.) addressed the audience, “It’s really early in the year for the concert, but [the students] made it work by practicing once they stepped into the class every day.”

Each band, consisting of the symphonic band, wind ensemble and wind symphony, made an appearance with Mr. Heddon and Roger Wu Fu (assistant director) alternatively conducting every other piece.

All of the pieces were attention-grabbing and evoked a variety of moods. I personally loved “Danzon No. 2 by Arturo Marquez arr. Oliver Nickel,” which embodied a more whimsical, salsa mood, with Sam Ghahremani (So.) playing a short solo that showcased his talent of playing the clarinet. One thing that I also liked about this piece was that the pace went from slow to fast, making it fun to listen to. Another thing that made this piece special was that it features a solo from the pianist, as well.

“The thrill of playing solos in front of a crowd, after countless hours of practice, is a huge part of why I love being a musician,” Ghahremani said.

I thought the music choice was perfect. Some of the pieces featured crash cymbals and shakers that were seamlessly incorporated into the pieces. The pieces were effective in displaying each of the musicians’ talent.

“It was very rewarding since we put in a lot of effort to assemble all the instrumental parts together and play as an ensemble,” Sally Ryu (Sr.) said.

The last piece, Oliver Nickel and First Suite in Eb by Gustav Holst, was an appropriate piece to end the concert. I liked how powerful the piece was through the trombone and trumpet opener. The concert concluded with a mutual feeling of appreciation for the students’ hard work, and the sound of applause echoed throughout the theater.

“I am very pleased with how the concert turned out. A lot of parents also really enjoyed it,” Rojan Javaheri (Jr.) said.