Finishing off a year of music, the orchestra program takes their final bow on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium for their final concert of the 2023–2024 school year.
“We’re playing Elegie op. 48: III, Jupiter, and Eine Kleine Nachtmusik [and] I’m feeling pretty excited, especially because this is my last ever orchestra concert at Liberty,” senior Head Historian Sophie Yang said. “But at the same time, I’m also kind of sad that this my last time getting to play with all my high school friends.”
After playing their individual piece(s), each of the four orchestras will share music to bring Barbie to life. This year, however, the entire auditorium will act as the stage as students fill even the aisles of the auditorium with music.
“The plan for [the] Barbie [pieces] is that everyone is involved,” Assistant Orchestra Director Madison Waggerman said. “Me and Ms. B are really excited because we have lots of pink accessories [and] we made fun tracks for the students to play with, so it should be a really fun party just like Barbie is.”
The spring concert encourages color—especially with the selection of the group pieces—but for orchestra seniors, there’s even more to look forward to in terms of expression.
“Since freshman year we’ve always had a uniform, which is the black long dress, so being a senior and being able to wear something special and colorful will be fun,” Yang said.
As the last concert for many seniors and Waggerman, students of all grades are able to celebrate what the program has meant to them.
“Orchestra has always been a very welcoming community and is where I met some of my best friends throughout high school, so I have a lot of great memories in orchestra,” Yang said. “Also I really love how we explore such a variety of different types of music and I really enjoy being able to make music with friends and different high school students in orchestra.”
The orchestra program is an integral part of many orchestra students’ high school experience, but students aren’t the only ones who have been able to grow as a result of the program.
“Orchestra means the world to me,” Waggerman said. “It’s been a place to learn how to be vulnerable and know that emotions are actually okay and the tears are okay if we share them together. Liberty Orchestra has been through a lot and they’ve accepted me as a crazy, loud, wild teacher, and I couldn’t have asked for a better place to land.”
