The Monroe-Woodbury High School Music Department held their unique concert, The Prism Concert, on February 14, with performances from the department’s advanced ensemble along with the band, Pocket Change.
The concert formatting is unique to the annual winter and spring concerts as the Prism Concert has back to back performances with no pauses in between, utilising every area of the auditorium as the stage. Monroe-Woodbury’s “regular concerts” have pauses in between each performance while performing classically composed pieces, while the Prism concert performs more 20th and 21st Century music, which is persistent among the set list.
“The MWHS Prism Concert is perhaps the music department’s most popular and anticipated event of the school year. The music performed ranges from pop to classical to jazz. What makes this event so unique is twofold: 1) the majority of acts are student-run chamber ensembles; and 2) the audience gets to experience an audio-visual event unlike a traditional concert. When the lights go out, the music begins, seamlessly flowing from one act to the next without interruption — and, music is heard from all locations within the auditorium. The Prism Concert is a most memorable event!” said Mr. Taborsky, the District Music Coordinator.
The concert kicked off with the Voice Ensemble Seniors singing their rendition of the National Anthem followed by Mr. Champlin’s Symphonic Orchestra. The Symphonic Orchestra performed the 1980’s hit Crazy Train by Ozzy Ozborn, with concertmaster, Francisco Feliz, on electric violin, creating a peculiar rendition of the song.
“Performing in the Prism Concert for the first time was an experience that I will never forget. The transition between our nation’s anthem and our [referring to the symphonic orchestra] performance was something that 100 percent shocked the audience as well as some of us in the orchestra,” said Evelyn Morris, a first violinist for the Symphonic Orchestra.
As the Symphonic Orchestra wrapped up their first performance with the iconic Crazy Train riff, the Chamber Orchestra Cello Quartet turned heads to the back of the auditorium with their rendition of the famous Beatles song, Eleanor Rigby. The Chamber Winds are next in line with Song Without Words followed by a Voice Ensemble Group.
The Voice Ensemble is a highly selective group composed of the best sophomores, juniors and senior singers. In the Prism concert, the Tenor and Basses, composed of the lower octave singers, sung Sh-Boom, a 1954 song by The Chords. Following The Tenor/Bass Voice Ensemble, the Chamber 1st Violins played in an Octet performed Martin.
After the Chamber Violin Octet, the Chamber Percussion Ensemble used trash cans as drums for a unique performance of Stinkin. Similar to the Bass and Tenor Voice Ensemble performance, the Soprano and Alto Voice Ensemble, composed of some of the best soprano and alto voices in the school, performed the 1993 hit song Linger by The Cranberries. Next in line during the performance, the Chamber Bass Quartet performed Yesterday from the 1965 album ‘Help!’ by The Beatles.
Following the Bass Quartet, the Symphonic Orchestra performed for the final time in a select group chosen by the conductor, Mr. Champlin. The group consisted of 6 first violins: Francisco Feliz, Elizabeth Butkevich, Dillion Chrisie, Valeria Cano, Ryan Liang and Leonidas Gowrie. 3 violas: Aaroosh Buragohain, Adriana Vacca and Elijah Chacko, 2 Cellos: Mia Kawada and Carter Greenberg and 2 Basses: Andrew Ferdico and Jonas Waldeck. The group performed She Used to Be Mine by Sara Bareilles along with Tyler Landusky and Nicole Ottavio singing the song in a duet form, based off of a performance with Sara Baraeilles and Rufus Wainwright.
The next group that performed was the Sophomore/Junior Voice Ensemble; they performed Viva La Vida by Coldplay. After the Sophomore/Junior Voice Ensembles performance, Pocket Change performed the song Don’t Get Around Much Anymore by Duke Ellington. Pocket Change is a jazz combo that was created by Monroe-Woodbury Student, Chase Cassidy. The group consists of: Chase Cassidy, Tyler Landusky, Josh Gorlin, William Nicoll, and Gabe Ramos.
“We performed in Prism to spread the love of jazz to listeners who may not be a regular. Opening the ears of others to a world filled with passion and history is our goal. We hope to share the same devotion we have with every audience member,” said Cassidy.
Following Pocket Change, the Jazz Ensemble played Close Quarters composed by Bret Zvacek. The Sax Quartet played Saxability directly followed by the Chamber Orchestra conducted by Mr. Byrne. A Brass Choir was up next followed by a group of Seniors in the Chamber Orchestra playing an homage to the 33 award winning, musical, book, and movie Wicked. The Senior Chamber Group played a Wicked Medley consisting of Wicked’s best hits.
Following the Senior group, a flute duet was performed directly followed by the Symphonic Band playing the theme song from the Jurassic Park Films, as their only performance in the concert. The flutes came back on in a choir to perform one last time after the Symphonic Band wrapped up their performance. The Voice Ensemble had its last performance with its seniors coming together to perform Like a Prayer which was first sung by Madonna in 1989.
For the final three performances, the Clarinet Choir performed followed by a final performance from the Chamber Orchestra with a string octet. To wrap up the 25 performances during the Prism Concert, the Wind Ensemble came together to end the concert.
