WSHS Band and Chorus Presents: Winter Showcase

The WSHS Band and Chorus will be performing the showcase concert on Thursday, December 6th, 2016 and Friday, December 7th, 2016.

The WSHS Band and Chorus will be performing the showcase concert on Thursday, December 6th, 2016 and Friday, December 7th, 2016.

Copy Editor, Mackenzie Grzesik

On Thursday, December 8th and Friday, December 9th, the Winter Springs High School band and chorus will be performing their annual showcase concert. Showcase is not done in the traditional concert format, however; throughout the show, small groups of musicians will play short songs, usually well-known ones, across the auditorium. One of the highlights of the event is always the number played at the conclusion of the night with both chorus and band students. This year, band and chorus will be playing and singing the fifth movement, “Make Our Garden Grow,” of Leonard Bernstein’s “Candide Suite,” followed by the Winter Springs High School Alma Mater.

Every year, both students and teachers look forward to the showcase concert.

Mrs. Ferland, the chorus teacher at Winter Springs, says that her favorite performance of showcase is the finale with both the band and chorus, but overall, her favorite part of showcase is the mood of the students. “Most of all, I just love seeing the students having fun,” she said.

Sophomore Bailey Ouellette, who sings in the WSHS chorus and plays clarinet for the band, said “it’s stressful, but once everything is complete it’s really fun and it sounds fantastic.”

Band’s contribution to the show includes performances from each section of instruments. The clarinets are playing the popular song from Toy Story, “You’ve Got a Friend in Me,” the trombones are playing the song “Africa” by Toto, and the flutes are playing a video game melody of the Super Mario Bros., Zelda, and Pokémon themes, just to name a few. Also, the symphonic band is playing “Wedding Dance” by Jacques Press.

Some of the choral performances include “Cripple Creek,” sung by the women’s chorus, “Sweet Dreams,” by Ursa Minor, and “Baba Yetu,” done by the entire chorus.

Along with the standard groups of musicians, showcase is a chance for band and chorus students to showcase their talents outside the required sectional as well. Some students decide to get together with friends for their performance, while others perform a solo of their choice.

Not only is the music entertainment amazing, but the event also presents an opportunity for audience members to win gift baskets, put together by students. The raffle is a chance to raise money for the band and chorus programs.

For just $8, anyone can come and watch the countless number of acts from Winter Springs’s own band and chorus. The students have worked tirelessly towards this year’s showcase concert, and the night is guaranteed to be a success for everyone involved.