Katelyn Liu
November 14th, 2021
There’s a common belief that music is the closest thing that we as humans will ever come to magic. In the short forty-minute informal concert held at the High School Auditorium this recent November 16th, eighty high school musicians were able to conjure up that magic, to breathe life into their instruments and make the notes they played dance before the audience. The stage is transformed into an arena, the setting for some of their more dramatic pieces, such as a medley of some of the most iconic Star Wars theme songs, and a childhood nursery, the backdrop for a Welsh lullaby, reminiscent of the sweet childhood we once had.
As the Symphonic Band come to an intense conclusion to their heroic and nostalgic saga, the Wind Ensemble takes their place on the stage as they begin with a piece called Abracadabra, appropriately named for the “twisted themes and unpredictability that’s something like magic” says Mr. Gavlik, the mastermind behind the ensemble. As he cues the mass band with the mere flick of the wrist, they spring to life like marionettes, executing this majestic and stunning piece in a way that continues to build throughout the piece. They then move on to their final piece, With Heart and Voice. With its suspenseful opening, it starts a little bit at a time, music soon flooding the auditorium as the brass, percussion, and woodwinds are added, blended into one incredible masterpiece. The purity and rich undertones of the brass instruments are cast over by a sole flutist and as the dreamy piece progresses, it is clapped back into its original high energy state and the concerto seems to have a mind of its own as it dances around the back of the auditorium, inviting each of the audience members to join it.
The fact that a high school band was able to pull off a feat this magnificent is truly admirable and incredible, and the timelessness and majesty of the pieces are maybe even a little something like magic.
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