The Jazz, Symphonic, and Wind Ensemble bands performed their individual concert pieces at the joint Christmas concert at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 11 in the Cafetorium.
“I usually try to go to the Christmas concerts every year because I have friends in band,” senior Elaina Hepting said. “I’ve always had a good experience. Listening to them play makes me feel very festive.”
This year’s Christmas concert was different from previous years in that typically the concert takes place in the competition gym with the addition of the middle school band and qabeginning band, but this year’s concert was split with the middle school having their own separate concert at the middle school, and the high school bands’ concert taking place in the cafetorium.
“I feel good about the change,” drum major senior Giselle Ruperto said. “Of course, it’s a bit weird, but I think it gives us a better environment to play in, especially with concert season officially starting. It also gives families a better and more personal experience than trying to find their kids in a sea of other fellow band kids.”
Each high school band began preparing for the concert at the end of their marching season in mid-November.
“We have been cooking,” Ruperto said. “Practices go like usual. We warm up and go straight to the music. We spend time working on specific sections because we want the details to be clean. Then we run through the whole song, and it’s nice hearing all of our work and sound come together.”
Some songs featured include “Christmas Music for Winds,” “Polar Express,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” and “Sleigh Ride.”
“My favorite part of the concert is when we play “Sleigh Ride,” Ruperto said. “It’s the tradition each year to play it, and typically it’s near the end of our songs, so it’s a good closer.”
Each year as at the Christmas concert, each instrumental section of the band puts together gift baskets for concert goers to bid on and potentially win. This year’s gift basket themes included Movie Night, Spider-Man, Looney Christmas, Bluey, Badger, Tim Burton, and Game Night.”
“Typically, preparing a basket is a lot of planning,” Ruperto said. “Leaders in our band have to decide on a theme and then reach out to members to each pitch in and bring something for said basket. We want to make sure our baskets are nice and ready for the concert.”
Ruperto said it still hasn’t set in that this is her final Christmas concert.
“I know that when it’s over, it will be a rush of emotions because this is basically my life,” Ruperto said. “I’ve been doing this my whole high school career, so knowing I won’t get another chance is a bit scary, but I know I will have fun and enjoy it.”
