The WHSD Department of Music held the first of two high school winter concerts on Tuesday, as the orchestra, symphonic band and orchestra, ninth grade band, and concert band all performed.
Under the direction of Dr. Alicia Scaramuzzo and student teacher Mr. Ryan Comisky, the orchestra opened the evening with four selections of music. The first was "Fezziwig's Festive Frolic," arranged by Steve Parsons, which was followed by a pair of James Kazik arrangements of some familiar tunes from some holiday-themed films. The orchestra performed Danny Elfman's "This is Halloween" from "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and John Williams' theme from "Home Alone."
The orchestra closed out with Michael Hopkins' "Mysterious Forces" before teaming up with the symphonic band to perform Brian Balmages' "A Festive Fanfare."
The ninth grade band took the stage under the direction of Mr. Robert Carr next for four songs, beginning with "Bonds of Unity March" by Karl L. King. It followed with "Sway" by Norman Gimbel and Pablo Beltran Ruiz and "Brentwood Pass" by Jerry Williams before finishing with the holiday classic "Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!" by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne.
Mr. Carr and the concert band closed out the evening with four festive features, beginning with the classic "Singing' in the Rain" by Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown. The band had some fun with "The Great Rubber Chicken Galop" before welcoming vocalist Hayden Crum to the stage for a rendition of David Foster and Linda Thompson-Jenner's "Grown-Up Christmas List."
The final piece was an homage to the Woodland Hills Marching Band's upcoming trip to New Orleans in February, as the band played the jazzy "When Saint Nick Comes Marching In," arranged by Robert W. Smith. The piece featured solos by Sonny Davis on trumpet, Dre'Vaughn Sanders on clarinet, Alex Fink on trombone, and Emilee Bellows on tuba.
This was the second winter show for the music department following the fifth graders from Turtle Creek performing earlier on Tuesday. The music department's holiday festivities will continue Wednesday night with the eighth grade concert at Dickson at 7 p.m. and Thursday with the high school's second winter concert at 7 p.m. Sixth and seventh graders will perform on Wednesday, December 17 at Dickson, while Edgewood will have its fifth grade concert on Thursday, December 11 at 10:30 a.m. and Wilkins will have its fifth grade show on Tuesday, December 16 at 10 a.m.