On March 3, 2022, the elementary school All-City, junior high and high school orchestra students will perform a combination of movie songs for the Spring Spectacular Concert. 

Orchestra teacher Kelly Detwiler has been preparing for the concert since the beginning of January. 

“We have been working on the music since the beginning of January, practicing in class every day,” Detwiler said. 

Detwiler decided on the songs over the summer before the school year began in early preparation for the big event in the following months. 

“I decided back in the summer to have a movie theme,” Detwiler said. “I know that is pretty popular music and something that would interest the younger students and their families and friends.”

Although Detwiler found it difficult to practice with younger students, she is used to doing it from the concerts in years past. 

“It is always difficult to get all the logistics worked out, but we have been having concerts like this for years so we kind of know what we are doing and what to expect,” Detwiler said. 

Detwiler expressed her excitement to be playing with the younger orchestra students. 

“I love sharing our music with the younger students,” Detwiler said. “They are always so excited about our performance.”

Junior Samantha Abbott has been preparing for the concert everyday in class, along with the rest of the orchestra.

“Everyday in class we practice our music,” Abbott said. “We probably got it about a month ago, and we’ve all been trying what  our hardest is to get it all done.”

Abbott expressed her excitement to play with the younger students.

“It’s been an event for a while,” Abbott said. “We’ve all been doing this since elementary school and to have more of a connection between the groups, the high school kids will write letters to the elementary school students as pen pal assignments, they will write back and we are all in the concert together. Each group prepares two or three songs and we all play them in one combined concert.”

The concert has been going for over 10 years. Abbott feels as though it is a great opportunity for younger students to know more about what is to come. 

“I think it’s a really great thing that we still have going on because this has been something that has been here before us and here after,” Abbott said. “It’s very nice that the groups get a chance to hear each other, hear where they came from and what is coming next.”

Senior Tiffany Guo rehearses her music with backing tracks during the day.

“As the concert is coming closer, I prepare for the concert by practicing my violin and playing along with the recordings,” Guo said.

Guo shows her feelings towards playing with students that aren’t her age.  

“I am excited to play in the string spectacular concert and see junior high and elementary students play,” Guo said. “We had penpals from elementary schools where we wrote back to each other. It is always interesting to see what their thoughts are.”

This is the final time seniors will have the opportunity to perform in this concert.

“I can’t believe this will be my last time playing in the string spectacular concert. I am filled with a mix of emotions, as lowerclassmen take the place of where I used to sit,” Guo said. “I will most definitely carry those memories along with me as I leave high school. I hope the concert will go well.”

Junior Kasey Reid uses her free time to go over what she needs to know. 

“We have practices everyday, but then we take our instruments home to practice, too. I usually take my music home and write in it a lot even if I don’t have my instrument,” Reid said.

Reid likes to look back on how she and the rest of her peers sounded then and how much they have progressed since. 

“Yes, because it’s nice to hear and remember what I used to sound like. It’s nice to see what they play now, but it’s not fun that we have to sit there,” Reid said. 

Reid is excited to perform along with the rest of the orchestra for the concert.

“It’s always exciting and it’s my favorite part especially because we have pen pals and we get to meet them and see who they actually are and not just in a letter,” Reid said. 

Junior Emma Feigh practices on her own and shows her excitement to play at the concert.

“I practiced a lot and knew what I needed to work on to be better,” Feigh said. “I am excited to play with the younger kids.”

Feigh feels the concert is a nice experience to be a part of. 

“I feel like it’s going to be a cool experience to see elementary and junior high play,” Feigh said.

Junior Julia McCauley makes sure she has everything she needs in preparation for the event. 

“I take my instrument home everyday and I practice almost everyday,” McCauley said.

McCauley shares her feelings towards the concert. 

“I’m glad that they are being brought up with the older kids so that they can get a chance to see what it is going to be like when they’re older and so they have something to look up to,” McCauley said. 

The concert will be a combined concert of Symphonic Orchestra including some band members.

“I think it’s going to be a great concert and I can’t wait,” McCauley said.