Instruments ring out from the students, producing the mesmerizing music which has led to them dazzling in state competitions year in and year out. The beautiful cadences and symphonies that resonate from their instruments reflect the dedication and endless hours of practice that go into every performance. Those hours, through the beauty of the symphony are transformed into the eloquent, fantastical notes which sing throughout the air to the delight of those enraptured in their audience.
“Full orchestra is the combination of the band and orchestra students. We play a couple of concerts and participate in UIL contests together,” said senior Mariangela Da Costa.
Full orchestra provides band and orchestra students with rare opportunity to integrate in to one another’s respective disciplines. This collaboration between band and orchestra represents the ability for two phenomenal programs to come together, unified under the common goal of producing awe-striking music.
“The difference this year is that it is top bands and top orchestras, and we are looking into sending a recording to state since our orchestra was ranked first in the state last year,” said Da Costa.
Due to the orchestra program’s stellar performance last year, there is hope that Tompkins’s full orchestra could soar to even greater heights this year. This bodes well for the possibilities of Tompkins’s full orchestra in regard to their chances at receiving state-wide acclaim, much like their aforementioned orchestra.
“It benefits students because we get to experience what symphonies are like and, more importantly, how they sound. We also get to play around with and discuss more kinds of music than usual, seeing as we can be limited by our instrumentation at times,” said Da Costa.
Full orchestra offers students a unique experience that separates itself from the typical band or orchestra class. The varying kinds and types of music can often prove to be inspirational to students as they are exposed to new and exciting styles.
“As of right now, we are in rehearsals, and our first concert will be on Feb. 26,” said Da Costa.
