On Dec. 8, Aragon’s bands hosted their Winter Concert in the theater from 7-9 p.m.
The bands played a variety of songs, from holiday favorites like “Sleigh Ride” to cinema classics such as “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “How To Train Your Dragon” and “Guardians of the Galaxy.”
“[My favorite was] ‘Sleigh Ride’ because there was a snow machine that came down, and it snowed all over us,” said sophomore and Wind Ensemble member Midori Saito. “It was really beautiful, as if [it] captured all of us playing in [a] snowy night outside.”
This year, Director of Bands Kevin Gallagher allowed students in Symphonic Band to vote for the songs they wanted to perform.
“This is the first year we were allowed to choose the songs and vote on them,” said senior and Symphonic Band member Urjaswee Debnath. “Sometimes Mr. Gallagher picks the pieces for a reason like technical skill level.”
Students practiced for this concert from the day they got their pieces.
“In the beginning, it doesn’t come easy,” said sophomore and Symphonic Band member Jude Bautista. “We spend time from when we get our music all the way up until the concert rehearsing and preparing, fixing all [the] stuff that we need to work on. We do a lot of assignments that help improve our playing and we look back on what we could do better. ”
Musicians offered their reflections on their performance.
“I think I did really well on overcoming the fear that had crowded my brain before the first performance,” Saito said. “I think that was the biggest step that I took and I’m really proud of that.”
Audience members like junior Thomas Williams enjoyed the performance.
“[The concert] was very bombastic with less focus on dynamics, and much more focused on being really fun for the audience to listen to,” Williams said. “There could be a greater emphasis on nuance in some of the songs. There was one part of a song that had a lovely ‘calm-down’ point [which] gave the audience time to breathe, and I would like more songs like that.”
Aragon’s jazz bands will hold their concert on Dec. 15, concluding the Winter Concert series.
*Photos by Darra McLintock
