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Photo by Darlene Wong Cancell. The Westwood Public Schools All-Town Strings Winter Concert included student musicians performing Carol of the Bells in the dark, with glow sticks.
12-10-2022 12:27am
WPS Student Musicians Delight Audience in All-Town Strings Winter Concert
Darlene Cancell
Editor
On Thursday, December 8, 2022, over one hundred student string musicians from grades 2 through 12 of Westwood Public Schools performed in the music program's annual, free, winter concert to the delight and audibly strong support of friends, family, and community.
Director of Orchestras Alicia Winslow noted the continued strong growth of the district's music program, as measured in numbers of program participants. By a look at the many filled audience seats, the volume of the enthusiastic audience applause, and supportive calls and cheers after each piece, it seems that community support for the WPS music program has grown this year as well.
After the opening piece played by all musicians, each age group had a chance to shine. Elementary, middle school, high school and chamber orchestras performed their particular selections with success. The high school orchestra especially stood out with members' cohesive and skilled playing.
Another highlight of the night was the performance by some students of Carol of the Bells in the dark, as a light show. The musicians memorized the music and used glow sticks attached to bows. The number is becoming a WPS strings tradition, having been repeated for about three years, said Ms. Winslow.
Holding out the opportunity as motivation, Ms. Winslow offered younger students the future possibility of also participating in an upcoming light show performance a few more years into their music lessons.
A break in the musical program allowed for a moment for Tri-M musical honor society students, standing in a row in matching black shirts, to formally induct a few orchestra members into the Tri-M Music Honor Society. The society's name originates from the founding of Maine Music Masters in 1936, which later became Modern Music Masters, and now Tri-M. Membership selection in the WPS club is based upon scholarship, character, leadership, and service.
The concert ended as it began, with 104 orchestra students, from the very beginners as young as second grade, to the most experienced seniors in high school, playing a piece together. In performing the finale, Pachelbel Canon, high school and middle schoolers were onstage, directed by high school music teacher Theresa Fritz. Below the stage, elementary school musicians stood or sat directly before the first row audience. Ms. Winslow and Prodigy instructor Johann Soults moved among the youngest musicians, keeping them on track as they played.
Take a listen to the sounds of WPS All-Town Strings, in a glowing performance, and the finale as posted @WestwoodMinute on Twitter:
