Members of the Upper School Band, Orchestra and Concert Choir traveled to Orlando to participate in the Music in the Parks Music Festival at Universal Studios. The instrumental ensemble made up of Band and Orchestra members received a Superior rating and first place in the Concert Band Division for Single A. The Concert Choir received an excellent rating and first place in the Mixed Choir Division for Single A.
Junior Ava Ann Woods shares her experience and the purpose of the trip at Universal Studios and performing at Music in the Parks. This is her first year participating in fine arts.
“The purpose of the trip was to compete against other schools in the choir and the band, it was called Music in the Parks,” said Woods. “It benefited us because we got new criticism from the judges that we have never performed in front of before, so it just helped learn different stuff and take different feedback from the judges.”
Another aspect of the trip was that the choir would also be able to perform as well as the band and orchestra. Junior Harrison Inman shares about the experience from the choir’s point of view.
“For the choir, the biggest purpose was that we got to perform and to get more feedback on our singing and what we can do better as the choir,” Inman said. “Also, we got to tour Universal and ride some of the rides there. Waiting in the lines for the ride was fun because we got to be with our friends and just hang out.”
The band proved to be a top performing group, receiving a superior rating and first place in their division. Sophomore Banks Brown shares on the awards and the benefits the trip to Universal brought the band.
“It let us have more self confidence in our ability to play because we were all just having a good time playing the pieces we learned and spending time on.” Brown said. “We got the best overall performance out of the bands in our division, I think this we earned it because we work really hard for Mr. Harvey and if we did not do good, then it would feel like we would be letting him down.”
The main point of the trip was to have fun while playing and singing music, but the group was also lucky enough to get to tour the theme park and the rides that are in the park. Inman shares the most memorable activities he participated in at Universal.
“I think my favorite activity was probably the roller coaster Hagrid,” Inman said. “But that was also the longest line because it is a very popular ride at Universal.”