Orchestra Performs Annual Spring Concert, Honors Retiring Conductor

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  • Asher Khan ’17 conducts concert orchestra in “Legacy.”

  • Bass players await their part in Pham’s “The Escape.”

  • Members of the audience applaud Khan’s piece “Legacy.”

  • Junna Castel ’20 performs her cello solo in Khan’s “Legacy.”

  • Anna Wicker ’20 prepares for her piano solo in “Legacy.”

  • Asher Khan ’17 conducts the first movement “Toil” of his piece “Legacy.”

  • A violinist plays “Legacy” with his section.

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For their final performance of the year, Orchestra presented 13 musical works in the annual Spring Concert on Friday, May 5. Works written by students were performed and conducted by all four orchestras: Concert (5 and 6), Philharmonic, and Symphony, as well as Harp Ensemble. The concert consisted of eight string orchestra student arrangements and five original student compositions. Unlike their other performances, the Spring Concert is solely based on student works.

“The fact that the pieces were student composed and arranged goes to show how talented and dedicated the students in orchestra are,” Ivy Grossberg ‘18 said.

According to orchestra director Susan Williams, the students write, teach, and conduct the music that they compose and arrange.

“I do not conduct a single thing,” Mrs. Williams said. “I just sit back and enjoy the massive talent that exists in all four of our orchestras.”

The night began with concert orchestra’s performance of Asher Khan’s Legacy and Anthony Pham’s The Escape.” Khan’s piece featured three movements: Toil, Glory,  and The Dawn, which featured a cello solo by Junna Castel ‘20 and piano solo by Anna Wicker ‘20. Khan will be pursuing his passion for music, as he received a musical scholarship and will be attending Concordia University.

“I probably wouldn’t have thought about Concordia as a college choice unless Mrs. Williams had recommended me to it,” Khan said. “After she told me about Concordia, I visited the college and absolutely loved it, knowing that it would be perfect for majoring in music.”

Following Concert Orchestra, the Philharmonic Orchestra presented Molly Stansbury’s arrangement of Carry on Wayward Son and Cullen Hutchinson’s Concerto in F Major and Cello in A Minor. The Harp Ensemble then performed Carolyn Cravey’s arrangement of Zelda Medley and Ariadna Demkov’s arrangement of Gerudo Valley. The Symphony Orchestra performed Myosotis arranged by Ariadna Demkov, Inner Flames, original music by Katherine Hsu, Pulpo Strikes Back, original music by Lillian Young, Domingo en Fuego, arranged by Macklyn Hutchison, Earth, and Absolution, both arranged by Vaish Sankar, Time to Say Goodbye, arranged by Joyce Zhuang and finally, For Susan, an original work commissioned by Dr. M.L. Daniels.

“It was thrilling to showcase of not just talented student string players, but student composers, arrangers, teachers and conductors who have blossomed during the preparation of their during the preparation of their works,” Mrs. Williams said.

Symphony’s final piece For Susan featured two movements: Caring and Demanding. It was commissioned by Dr. Daniels, a favorite composer of Mrs. Williams, in honor of her retirement. According to Mrs. Williams, the Symphony was secretly instructed by her teaching partner, Mr. Justin Anderson, in the weeks leading up to the concert.

“I absolutely loved the new music and the outstanding performance of the Westwood Symphony under the direction of Mr. Anderson,” Mrs. Williams said. “I loved the gift of this wonderful music.”

While many students are sorrowed by Mrs. Williams’s retirement, the majority of her students have taken it positively.

“I feel like it won’t affect many people because Mrs. Williams is one of those teachers that can just be a phone call away,” Khan said. “She is very open to former students and I’m sure she will appreciate any one of her students visiting her.”