What the Music Program Planned Next

Now it is the start of not only a new semester, but also a new year. This means new expectations and new projects for every class. However, even during this time, students overlook the music program’s upcoming activities and  events.With the Winter Concert finished successfully, it is time for the music program to move on to their next projects. Their upcoming event is the Spring Concert which will be held on Thursday, May 10th at 7:00pm in the PAC. This free, annual concert is open for all people, Woodside Wildcat or not.

After hearing all three groups practice, without a doubt they sound in tune and ready for the concert. By the sounds that fluctuate through the halls from the PAC, students can tell that this year’s Spring Concert is going to be a good one.

William Tolles, the music facilitator and conductor for all of the music classes, has set up for Jazz Band, Concert Band, and Orchestra to perform. The Show Choir class, a part of the Theatre Department, will also perform.“It’s school tradition here and it’s expected to be performed by parents and performers,” Mr. Tolles said about the Spring Concert. “It doesn’t target a specific audience or judges who grade us, its wholly to show friends and family what the groups have been working on and how much better they’ve become.”

“The orchestra improves every year and with all of their hard practice achieves more every class,” said Traci Tolles, a junior who is the lead violinist of the orchestra. “This also seems to be our best year because so many more people have joined Orchestra … compared to two years ago! We have a bunch of new pieces and we’re all sight reading really well so I have full confidence that the orchestra will do just fine in the concert.”

Jessica Page, a bass player and music enthusiast who is in not only Orchestra, but Jazz Band as well, has high hopes for the orchestra but not as high for the jazz band. “We have a lot of good instrumentation in the orchestra and we are constantly getting better!” she said when asked about Orchestra. “And we have a good handful of new students,” she responded after being asked about Jazz Band. “I have  great expectations for both classes! And I know that if everyone works hard, both classes will do great! Besides it’s a lot of fun anyway so let’s just enjoy the music!”

“Personally, we lost a lot of good players, since they were seniors who all graduated, and we got a few freshmen who are still learning the ropes, so we aren’t as good as we once were,” said Shane Hunt-Dusse, an amazing bassist in the jazz band. “Mr. Tolles has us practicing ballads, our weakest music genre, so there isn’t the greatest expectations for the Spring Concert. But as always it is expected that we work our hardest and always do our best.”

Lastly, Kalolaine Makasini, a very talented trumpet player in the concert band, said “the band is doing well, even better this year then last in my opinion,” when asked about Marching Band, which is currently Concert Band. Very excited when asked about her expectations for band, she elaborated “my expectation is that we become a stronger band. We all know each other and are friends so we are like family and we bring out the best in each other. By the time the spring Concert comes around I know we’ll be ready.”

In just a few months this concert will be held and by the sounds of each interviewee it seems like this will be one great and captivating performance. So if you find yourself at home with nothing more to do on May 10th, it is highly recommended you attend this concert to see what Woodside High School music students are really capable of.

During the interviews, the students wanted to signify their enthusiasm for their class, so a few thoughts from the interviewees: Traci Tolles happily added, “Orchestra rules!” Jessica Page, who was especially enthusiastic about expressing  her personal feelings for music shared,  “Music time is the best time!” Shane Hunt-Dusse, although a little rough on words simply and boldy informed that,  “Mr. Tolles has a lot more guts this year, he’s cracking the whip a bit harder than the last few years, too.” And Kalolaine Makasini, a little curious about adding a quote of her own calmly added, “The band is the awesome of the awesome and the beast of the beast! Just saying. ”