CdM Orchestra Winter Concert

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Claire Qiu, Journalist

Last week, CdM’s very own Music Department put on a festive holiday concert featuring the CdM Orchestra and Academy Strings, as well as soloists of various ages and skill levels.

The show opened with just enough time to spare before the scheduled start time. Thoughtful details, such as the roses that parents could buy at the front door for their performers, defined the concert. The show opened with a spotlight on the youngest, and also perhaps most talented and skilled, violinist CdM has to offer: eighth grader Sophie Qiu, who performed the first movement of Vivaldi’s famous “Winter”, from The Four Seasons. Played nearly flawlessly, it excited and interested the audience.

Following were soloists Raya Nazerani Houshmand, a freshman, who performed Friedrich Seitz’s Concerto No. 2 in G Major on the violin, junior Avery Sands, who performed The Swan admirably, though perhaps not as admirably as her piano accompanist senior Rome Sutton, dapper in a navy evening suit; and Bach’s Gavotte en Rondo in E Major, performed with great technique by freshman James Eastmond.

A brief intermission ensued, and then the Academy Strings took the stage, stunning the audience with renditions of classic holiday pieces such as “Sleigh Ride” and “Carol of the Bells.” The orchestra finished off the show with brilliant performances of extraordinarily difficult and sophisticated pieces such as “Troika” from Lieutenant Kije and “A Festival of Christmas.” Several members of the audience noted that the orchestra was much improved from last year, and stated that they hoped to see the same improvement continue.

The concert put the music department’s finest on full display, and the turnout was much greater than expected. When interviewed, several of the soloists reported that they were satisfied with their performances, and excited to continue practicing their respective instruments and making music. Bravo, CdM Orchestra!