Last Tuesday, March 8, was Hingham’s annual All-­Town orchestra concert, where grades 6 through 12 play at the Hingham Middle School. Ms. Sassano conducted the orchestras for grades 7 through 12, while Mrs.Gorczyca conducted grade 6.

The 6th grade orchestra began the concert with Soon Hee Newbold’s “Gaelic Castle,” followed by Clark’s “Antagonist.” Both songs were exciting and they perfectly displayed how much the musicians have developed. Mrs. Gorczyca’s orchestra then swapped places with Ms. Sassano’s 7th and 8th grade orchestra, and Ms. Sassano conducted both the “1812 Overture,” a distinct and memorable piece, and “Finale from Symphony No. 2” (both pieces composed by Tchaikovsky).

The HHS Senior Chamber Players then took the stage and played Sibelius’s “Valse Triste, op. 44” with accompaniment from selected band students. “The Sibelius” was a slow and moving piece based on the subjects of death and grief, with the last note symbolizing a dying breath. To lighten the mood for the middle schoolers, the chamber group then played an arrangement of songs from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. This piece was recognizable and fun for the players and the audience, although senior Mark McNiskin acknowledged, “I felt like the Lord of the Rings piece could’ve been a better arrangement. Playing it was a little awkward sometimes, but I think everyone enjoyed it and we definitely enjoyed playing it”. Many other orchestra students agreed that the piece was a bit uncoordinated because of its arrangement, but nothing could stop the excitement people felt for The Lord of the Rings.

The last song of the night was Stravinsky’s “Danse Infernale from the Firebird Suite,” played by the Hingham High School’s complete symphony orchestra. In comparison to the previous songs, it was the biggest attention grabber, and the band’s accompaniment improved the backbone of the piece, making it a success. When asked about the environment of the concert and the group, Kelley Osterberg, a sophomore and clarinetist, responded, “I found it’s a really welcoming environment because I have a lot of the friends in orchestra. I love Ms. Sassano, she’s like the angel of death standing on a podium…in the best way of course!”  Many teenagers at Hingham High automatically love Ms. Sassano because of her strong personality and her love for orchestra and the students.

Between the students, the teachers, and the parents, Tuesday was very successful for every orchestra student, young or old.

Gallery • 2 Photos

Shira Berkin

The Senior Chamber Orchestra during Sibelius’s "Valse Triste, op. 44"