Submitted on behalf of the Performing Arts Department in the Bedford Schools
The Performing Arts Department of the Bedford Public Schools is excited to announce next week’s “Strings Vertical Concert,” which will feature performances by the orchestral string ensembles at Lane, John Glenn Middle, and Bedford High Schools. The concert will take place at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, March 19th, in the BHS auditorium.
Ensembles from grades four through twelve will perform pieces in a folk-inspired theme, as directed by Brianna Creamer, Orchestra Director for BPS, and accompanied by pianist Arlene Kunardi. The concert culminates in a performance of Tchaikovsky’s thunderous “1812 Overture,” blending nearly two hundred musicians from across the three schools.
The program will begin with a trio of German, Hungarian, and North American folk songs performed by the Grade Four Orchestra. The Grade Five Orchestra will follow with Kathryn Griesinger’s “Lotus Dance,” exhibiting pentatonic harmonies and rhythms conjuring a traditional Japanese garden, and Edmund Siennicki’s “Fiddlin’ Favorites,” featuring classic fiddle-style folk melodies.
In similar “lovely/lively” pairings, the JGMS Grade Six Orchestra will lead with the beautifully flowing “Appalachian Sunrise” by Doris Gazda, followed by the bouncy American folksong “Cindy.” The Grade Seven and Eight Orchestra will then perform the haunting Scottish air “MacPherson’s Lament” (arranged by Bob Phillips and Dean Marshall), and then pick up the pace with the rollicking Irish reel “Molly on the Shore.”
The BHS Orchestra keeps things moving with the joyous “Fiddle-Fest,” from James Clemens’ Tapestry: A New England Suite, which weaves together a reel, jig, and waltz in the New England style. Appalachian folk themes return in the intricate “Variations on an Appalachian Hymn” arranged by William Dyson, with Thomas Griffin soloing on bells. In a brisk and exhilarating finale, the Orchestra will electrify the audience with the challenging piece “The Texians,” by Carol Nunez. Musicians from Lane and JGMS will then join BHS for the “1812 Overture” grand finale.
The music students and faculty, as well as the volunteers and supporters of POMS, Bedford’s music booster organization, welcome all interested community members, family, and friends to attend the upcoming concerts. Like all performers, these students would love to have a full and attentive audience. Make sure to check out the POMS concert etiquette video at https://youtu.be/MjzVkGiXcgU for some lighthearted tips on how to make sure all concertgoers get the most out of upcoming performances!
If you’d like more information about the music program within the public school system, please visit the Performing Arts Department webpage, https://www.bedfordps.org/high-school/performing-arts, or the Bedford POMS website, https://www.bedfordpoms.org/.
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