The concert and symphonic band held their final concert of the year on Thursday, June 2nd. This was the 6th concert of the year for symphonic band.

The concert band started the concert off with three pieces, one being the Fate of the Gods by Steven Reineke, that featured freshmen Irene Lui on oboe, Andrew Ely on euphonium, and Ronal Gomez on trumpet.

“I was really nervous because it was the first time I was playing by myself in front of a whole audience,” Gomez said.

The symphonic band took the stage after the concert band, and proceed to play three full ensemble pieces, and four pieces that accompanied senior soloists. Seniors who make All-State band have the opportunity to perform a solo at the final concert of the year, and this year’s soloists were Kieran McClay on the xylophone, Hollyn Slykhuis on the trumpet, Valerio Aleman on trombone, and Laura Ruple on the oboe. Slykhuis, Aleman, and Ruple will all be attending schools to study music next year.

The symphonic band’s last piece was a nontraditional work called Angels in the Architecture, written by Frank Ticheli. The piece starts with band members swinging tubes and playing wine glasses filled with water to create an ethereal sounding environment. Senior Ellie Plass, stationed in the catwalk posed as the “angel”, then sang the opening theme from above.

“I liked the specific instruments that were use that we don’t usually use, and the soothing sound of [Angels in the Architecture],” freshman trombonist Kaeden Click said.

The final piece of the concert was a combined piece comprised of concert band and symphonic band members, playing Shenandoah by Frank Ticheli, an HHS band program tradition. In the middle of the piece, five seniors are featured while they play solos in a round together. This year the soloists were Valerio Aleman, Andy King, Laura Ruple, Hollyn Slykhuis, and Ava Reynolds. Shenandoah is one of the only times of the year concert band and symphonic band combine and play together.

“It was emotional at first because all the seniors are leaving, but at the same time I’m really happy for them. It was really fun to play with symphonic band because we usually don’t get to play with them so that was really cool,” freshmen trombonist Glorious Njoroge.