The Edison High School orchestra’s in-person concerts are back! And of course, with the latest orchestra winter concert ensuing, the Eagle’s Eye went out to report on it. On December 17, the winter orchestra concert began at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium of EHS. The orchestra was waiting quietly on the stage with their instruments and stands with music sheets as people gradually arrived, filling the auditorium. 

Kevin Wu ’23, an orchestra student, was questioned on his feelings about the latest winter orchestra concert ensuing since people have come back from quarantine. 

“I think things will go as best as they can, and given that a lot of musical experiences have been removed from the freshman this year, we can only expect so much. But I feel excited yet sort of anxious about any upcoming event in general,” Wu expressed. 

Suddenly, the stage lights were flicked on and the auditorium went black. Coming out from the left side of the curtains, Pragya Singh ’23—the concertmistress of orchestra and principal of violin 1’s—arrived out onto the stage, and the orchestra stomped their feet to applaud her. Ms. Brittney Milicia, the director of the EHS orchestra, then entered to the praise of the orchestra. 

The concert orchestra, comprised of all the orchestra students, Ms. Milicia, and Timothy Morrow who was a collaborative pianist, started the concert with four musical pieces: “Christmas Concerto” by Arcangelo Corelli arranged by Sandra Dackow, “A Solitary Wish” by Brian Balmages, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” by Vince Guaraldi arranged by Larry Moore, and “I’ll Be Bach For Christmas” arranged by Michael Hopkins.

After the intermission, the chamber orchestra members and wind ensemble played five pieces: “Palladio” by Karl Jenkins, “Highland Holiday” by David Giardiniere, “Snowberry” by Yukiko Nishimura, the traditional “A Swingin’ Holiday” arranged by Ralph Ford, and A Festive Fanfare by Brian Balmages.

At the end of the hour, the concert ended with the large audience applauding.

The orchestra gave their sincerest gratitude to the EHS music department, Edison Township Board of Education, EHS staff, and the orchestra family and friends for their support of the orchestra. And so, from negotiating for rooms to practice playing instruments in for orchestra rehearsal to driving students to all color coordinates in black, the orchestra fought hard for this performance to transpire.