On Tuesday, December 9, the Hingham High School band and orchestra performed their annual winter concert in the auditorium. Both ensembles were conducted by the band teacher, Mr. Cincotta, and the orchestra teacher, Ms. Sassano. The pieces performed at the concert were separated by the respective band and orchestra classes, with all groups of students coming together at the end of the concert to perform the Christmas tune, “Sleigh Ride.”
First to take the stage was the freshman orchestra class, performing an impressive piece called “Fantasia.” They impressed their audience with an orchestral technique known as pizzicato, where the strings of the instrument are plucked almost like a fiddle to create an impressive sound not often seen in their high school performances. The longevity of their performance displayed the freshmen’s sharp commitment to orchestra, with many more great performances to come in their high school tenure.
The main orchestra class then took the stage to perform “Danse Bacchanale,” “Oblivion,” and “Allegro vivace,” well done pieces of music where the cellists knocked their hands on the wood of their instruments, adding plenty of musical sauce to their performance. First chair violin Zak Robbins was a standout performer among the players, having a beautiful solo during the last piece. After the upper orchestra had performed, the freshman class joined them onstage to perform one final piece, “Allegro moderato.” Sophomore Gabe Solano thought that “The tone was great and I enjoyed the solos very much.” This piece benefited from the full orchestral ensemble, having a grand, operatic feel that truly felt like a finale to an amazing first half of the concert.
Next, the concert band took stage, performing three separate pieces. They began performing with a piece called the “Russian Sailor’s Dance,” music from a ballet called The Red Poppy. The piece was especially impressive because of the changing tempos, creating an incredibly expressive piece. They followed up the “Russian Sailor’s Dance” with “Rippling Watercolors,” a piece not defined by complicated notes or technical achievements, but through the band growing louder and softer to create a lovely slow melody. Their final piece was called the “Great Locomotive Chase,” an impressive piece because all of the instruments worked together to create the image of an oncoming train. This piece was an amazingly intense finale to cap off a great performance from the concert band.
The final ensemble to take the stage was wind ensemble. Their first piece was called “Halcyon Hearts,” a modern piece written by a relatively young composer. The bells played on this piece added an especially entrancing feel. Their second piece was called “El Camino Royale,” a piece freshman Nik Romania appreciated for “its diverse qualities.” Their final piece, “Hunting Scenes,” felt extremely melodically thought out, allowing the audience to easily tell that the wind ensemble had been working tirelessly to create a beautiful performance.
For the last piece, the entire band and orchestra performed the Christmas classic “Sleigh Ride.” Playing a piece with more than 100 kids all on different instruments was certainly no small task to mount, but the HHS band and orchestra achieved it with style. Trumpet players used their instruments to create the sounds of neighing horses. The vibraslap was also smartly used to convey the sound of the cracking whip in the song, only adding to the Holiday atmosphere. Mr. Cincotta was excited with the piece, saying, “Though our band program consists of two separate ensembles, it’s so important that we bring our community together as a whole whenever possible. Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride” is a perfect, festive opportunity to do just that, with the full strength of the program combining with that of the orchestra to deliver a rousing finale for our Winter Concert. We’re a force to be reckoned with.” Overall, every section performed amazingly, highlighting the talent of the young musicians throughout Hingham Music programs.
