By Andrea Victoria Sardinha
As the holiday season approaches, New Hyde Park Memorial has prepared for its annual holiday concerts. The community came together to watch the numerous performances built on hard work, dedication and holiday cheer.
This year the holiday concerts took place on December 13 and 18, both at 7 pm. Both concerts encompassed a collective passion for the art of music and a determination to give the audience a spectacular performance.
Performing groups wowed the audience with a wonderful mixture of holiday spirit and energy. This year, the senior high band performed three pieces, delivering a wonderful blend of excitement and festivity.
“Our first piece, ‘Sedona’, begins our program with an exciting opening and lots of changes in speed and mood,” band director Ms. Bagley said. “The second piece, ‘The Cave You Fear,’ is darker, more modern, and more mysterious, to contrast with our opener. Finally, ‘A Christmas Festival’ closes the program with celebratory holiday songs that will be familiar to the audience and a lot of fun for everybody.”
Source by Linda Cheung
The musical groups showcase their hard work and dedication while performing for the NHP community.
On the other hand, the senior high choir took a more classic approach, performing pieces such as "Carol of the Bells," "Silent Night," "White Christmas" and others.
“We’ve been going through the pieces every day and working to perfect the parts. I feel like we are ready for it!” junior Madhav Shibu said.
The senior high orchestra performed classics such as Pachelbel's "Christmas" and "Pastorale ad libitum," alongside "Mistletoe Mix-Up." This delightful selection of classical pieces amazed the audience by encapsulating the beauty of the holiday season, as well as the excitement and emotion the season brings.
While performing in front of an audience can be a positive experience, some may find the experience to be nerve-wracking.
“As a member for the past 5 years, I have never felt more excited to be performing for this year's concert,” junior Madhav Shibu said. “Although I feel ready and prepared to perform, there is a hint of nervousness in my head. It’s hard to perform in front of a large audience and it can get nerve-wracking sometimes but we just have to play through and sing as enthusiastically as possible.”
This year, the NHP community enjoyed well-played music combined with holiday spirit. A total of eight musical groups performed between both concerts, each working hard to ensure a spectacular experience for the audience.