2012 - Another Year's End

This year has been an amazing year and we are coming to a close. This does not mean our year is over as an orchestra, for we are just beginning with preparation for our final concert to be presented on May 24th. As the year comes to a close as a senior I realize just how much I am going to miss all of the orchestra family that I have accumulated over the years. As for the other seniors that will be leaving with me we have: Cameron Hamer, Nico Ortega, Christian Walker, Megan Sullivan, Ryan Young, and Philip Basham. Left to finish out the year we have a few events coming up, we are going to be playing for middle school orchestras, and preparing with rehearsals for our concert on the 24th of May, and we will wrap up the year with the annual orchestra banquet. Lets finish this year strong everyone! Great job.

-Tyler English

Senior 2012

Co-President of the Wakeland High School Orchestra

University Interscholastic League and Solo and Ensemble Qualifiers

Two days ago our orchestra traveled to Newman-Smith High School in Carrollton, Texas to participate in the University Interscholastic League Competition. The Students loaded in the bus around 11:30 am and set our for Carrollton. By noon we were unloading the instruments and heading into the practice room. During the practice we reviewed several mistakes that needed to be fixed before we played before the judges and managed to practice quite well, despite an untimely periodic bell that caught many of us off guard. At approximately twelve-thirty pm the Wakeland High School Varsity 4A Orchestra made its way to the concert stage to play "Fantasia On An Original Theme" by Joseph J. Philips, "Traumerai" by Robert Schumann, and "Coronation March" by Giacomo Meyerbeer before a panel of three judges. All three pieces were played with very exceptional skill with only a few mistakes in the concert. For the concert the Wakeland High School Orchestra received two scores of an Excellent rating (2), and one score of Superior rating (1), which placed the Orchestra at an even score of a 2 rather than a 1. After the concert the group then moved on to the sight reading room. In this room the group received ten minutes to be taught a song without playing the piece at all then play it for another panel of three judges. The piece was very well played and the group kept together throughout the entire piece. The scores from this section of the competition mimicked the scores from the stage to a point of two 2's and one 1. The scores from this section, again was a 2, so the Wakeland High School Varsity 4A Orchestra left the University Interscholastic League Competition with a score of two 2's, just shy of the Superior rating we strive for, but still in the Excellent rating. After the fact of the scores being released our director Ms. Duston was quoted as saying "The playing on the stage was a much better [caliber] than last year, and last year we received all one's". Hopefully next year the orchestra will go back and take home the sweepstakes! Congratulations everyone on your playing this year at the University Interscholastic League competition.
Also, February 18th, 2012 the Wakeland High School orchestra sent nineteen participants to the Solo and Ensemble Competition. Six soloists and three ensembles moved on to qualify for the state level of Solo and Ensemble, congratulations to the soloists:

• Courtney Erbes, Harp
• Drew Acosta, Violin
• Gillian Lee, Piano
• Gillian Lee, Violin
• Cameron Hamer, Violin
• Jae Choi, Violin 

and the ensembles that moved on:

• Drew Acosta (Violin) and Courtney Erbes (Harp)
• Jamie Kwak (Violin) and Taylor Michie (Violin)
• Jae Choi (Violin), Cameron Hamer (Violin), Joseph Geller (Viola)

Congratulations Wakeland Orchestra on all of your recent accomplishments, I hope this is only a sign of the good things to come!

Tyler English, Orchestra Co-President
Orchestra Home Page 

New Year, New Goals, New Orchestra

Welcome back Wakeland High School Orchestra for the second semester of our 2011-2012 school year. This semester is going to be difficult, and rightfully so. Ahead of us we have a trip that we will hopefully get to go on, UIL for both orchestras and many more concerts ahead. We are pleased to welcome back Rowena. She was a violist two years ago for our orchestra and then she moved away. Now she is back to offer help to our orchestra to make us a better group. I hope everyone had a fun and safe holiday and wish the best for the year to come.
The Wakeland Orchestra is a place where we can challenge each other and become stronger not only as players, but as people. We are a family and our goal is to help each other to become better individuals. Good luck in 2012 WHS Orchestra! I am rooting for you all!
Thank you,
Tyler English,
Co-President, WHS Orchestra

A Baroque Encounter

The Wakeland High School Orchestra held there second formal concert this past Wednesday, 12/14/2011. The orchestras under direction of Mrs. Liudmila Duston performed exceptionally well and played very well for the limited times that they had to practice due to some involvement with the musical, "Singin' in the Rain". Both of our orchestras played in this concert and then they came together to perform additional pieces as a full orchestra. The Symphonic Orchestra under lead of Concert Mistress Taylor Kline performed surprisingly well as compared to their first concert. The lower strings rung out beautifully and played, not from the mind, but rather from the heart. To help fill in sound for the small ensemble of an orchestra Cameron Hamer (Bass), Courtney Erbes (Harp), and Tyler English (Violin) joined the orchestra. Cameron plays the violin in the chamber orchestra and knows the bass for the symphonic parts. The symphonic orchestra played two pieces, "La Rejouissance" by Handel and "Menuet in G" by Bach. After the symphonic section played the chamber orchestra came on stage under lead of Concert Maestro Drew Acosta. The chamber group played very well, as per the "norm". They played a piece by Vivaldi entitled "Allegro in D", as well as Caccini's "Ave Maria". The orchestra played their song, "Ave Maria" from a place deep within their heart so well that it sent chills down my very spine. After the beautiful piece that was "Ave Maria", the orchestra ajourned for a few short moments to reset the stage and to get refreshments. During this break the crew under direction of Tyler Engilsh worked rapidly to set up the stage for the combined orchestras. As the break neared an end the harpists, Jessica Sedgewick, Kara Messer, and Courtney Erbes, moved their harps out into position to play their assortment of pieces, "Largo" by Vivaldi, and "Greensleeves" by Cambern. At the end of the harmonic strumming of the elegant harps the full orchestra came back onto the stage. The next song that would be played was an upbeat arrangement by Bach, "Badinerie", which the orchestra played very well as a full "family". The orchestra was stopped at the end of the piece and soloists Paul Thompson and Amy Hammert emerged from the sides. the next piece, "Concerto for 2 Oboes and String Orchestra, Op. 7 No.11, 1st mvt" by Albinoni feautured these two talented Oboeists as soloists with the orchestra as mearly a harmony interwoven with the Oboes. After the concerto came the grand finale, "Hornpipe" by Handel. An upbeat, baroque piece with a full orchestra. The hornpipe was played well and the orchestra received accollades for their performances. 

Great job WHS Orchestra I am proud of you guys. Keep up the good work.

Thank you to the crew also for all of the hard work, this whole ordeal could not have come together with out your help!

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New Blog Site

Welcome to the new Wakeland High School Orchestra Blog!