Orchestra and choir concert is more than just music

Image: Sky View Orchestra

Sky View Orchestra (Corey Burger)

From the sweet strains of Concerto in G Minor to a song mix from Enchanted and Coldplay’s Viva La Vida, Sky View’s mixed choir, women’s vocal ensemble, and orchestra treated their audience to a night of classy, fun, and regal music.

The orchestra opened the night with “An English Suite” by Sir Hubert Parry. That was followed by “Concerto in G Minor- Allegro ma non troppo” by A. Scarlatti, and they ended with “Russian Easter Overture” by N. Korsakov and the four piece “St. Paul’s Suite” composed by Gustav Holst.

William Ball and Andrew LaMunyon, both viola players, explained the process of practicing and refining their performances for each concert. Ball said that, in preparation of each concert, “We go every day in class and play, and then most of the time at home we work on it.” LaMunyon added, “Or when we’re bored.”

The two, joined by Josiah Cordes, explained that once a week the group holds individual instrument sessions and they practice on stage the day of the concert. Then it is show time, and director Richard Kline takes to the stand to direct the small orchestra.

Tina Mathias, a violinist and a member of the women’s vocal ensemble, said of the orchestra’s performance, “I think it went really, really well. It was one of my best performances.”

Following the orchestra’s performance, the five girl women’s vocal ensemble, under the direction of Karen Teuscher, Sky View’s choral director, performed “Enchanted Highlights,” an arrangement of songs from the movie Enchanted. That was followed by “Glorificamus Te” by Eugene Butler.

Mathias said of the women’s vocal ensemble, “We get together every Tuesday and Friday at lunch and bring the music all together.” She said that between choir and orchestra, it would be hard to pick her favorite, but she chose singing because of her love for it.

After the women’s vocal ensemble, Sky View’s mixed choir performed. They sang “Riversong” by Andy Beck, “Benedictus” by Brian Lewis, “When I Fall in Love,” arranged by Young and Shaw, a Mark Brymer arrangement of “Viva la Vida,” and they ended with “Seasons of Love,” a song by Jonathon Larson, arranged by Mac Huff.

“They worked really hard as a group,” said Teuscher. “Working at music is almost like being on a sports team; you’ve got to work together on it to become great.” She commended the choir for their consistent hard work and willingness to do hard things.

“I love to see kids make progress,” she said. “Students start at one level and come up and achieve so much. It’s rewarding to watch kids move forward.”

She also added that seeing kids have fun is another one of her enjoyments. “Performing is fun,” she said.

Ball agreed. “We have a lot of fun; it’s not all just playing music.”

Cordes added, “You make a lot of friends.”