On Sunday, September 11th, the Valley Philharmonic Orchestra (VPO) had its first rehearsal of the fall semester in preparation for its 8th annual Winter Concert. Rehearsing every week on Sundays for three hours at In Christ Community Church, students from numerous schools take part in a collaborative effort to produce harmonious music. Instruments range from strings, woodwind, brass, and percussion with about 50 players in total from middle and high school.
In preparation for their winter concert, students practice both as a full orchestra and in sections according to their instruments. With specific coaches guiding the groups during sectionals, students are able to master the pieces.
“I like full rehearsals because hearing music from separate parts combine to form one melody is always exciting,” said Kyungjin Kim, a senior cellist at VPO from Valencia High School, in an interview with JSR. “Sectionals are also great because they really help target a specific difficult passage,” added Kim. By practicing as a whole and in specific groups, the students work to produce great music. Rehearsing as a group allows each group of instruments to be aware of the music as a whole, while practicing in sections helps the players master their parts.
The players are able to learn about new instruments and mix their sounds amongst different tunes. “What I like about rehearsals is that I can hear different parts, and not just the 1st violins,” said Stella Han, a sophomore violinist at West Ranch High School, in an interview with JSR. Always used to listening to string instruments, Han expresses that “it is fun to practice as a full orchestra while being able to look into my music more in detail with sectionals.”
Instrumentalists will play numerous pieces including winter-themed songs such as “March of the Nutcracker” and “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” by Tchaikovsky for their upcoming concert in December. With more members in the orchestra than ever before, both coaches and students alike are excited for the Winter Concert. “I’m looking forward to playing with the new members and having a great last semester,” noted Kim in hopes for a successful concert.
