the
TOWER Thursday Dec. 15 , 2016
Issue 13
Volume 89
@thetowerpulse
Grosse Pointe South 11 GP Blvd. Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236
Holiday concert brings happy tears and smiling faces ELLA DIEPEN ‘18 | Staff Writer urtains up for the Grosse Pointe South Choir. On Thursday, Dec. 8, the Grosse Pointe South choirs performed the holiday concert “Sounds of the Season” at the Christian A. Fenton Performing Arts Center at Grosse Pointe North. There was a large audience that was excited for the show and it was completely sold out, the choir president Zaria Aikens ’17 said. There was a mix of traditional holiday classics, some new Christmas songs, the Hallelujah Chorus and various other holiday based songs. They were performed in a variety of ways: curtain solos and duets, ballads, group and production numbers with multiple voices. Not only in terms of singing, but also regarding performance and scenery, the concert was excellent. This could be seen by the “enthusiastic”, Poli Dulworth ’19 said, and “energetic audience”, director Chris Pratt said. “Some songs are more spiritual-based and tailored to the religious view of Christmas with lyrics like ‘Jesus Lord at thy birth’ or ‘Let All with in us praise His Holy Name,’” Aikens said. “Songs like ‘Holly Jolly Christmas’ or ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’ are more for the myth-like aspect of Christmas.” Even though it may be fun to practice well-known Christmas carols, a lot of work is put in by the choirs to put on a good show. “We practiced a little more than a month, even if it feels like two years,” Pratt said. The choirs started rehearsing singing and choreography for the Christmas holiday concert in October. Dulworth said that a lot of people might have gotten annoyed because they were singing Christmas songs since October. 130 choir singers, as well as around 45 other people, such as the accompanist, Richard Wolf, choreographers Andy Haines and Annette Layman, staffers, technicians and volunteering parents were all involved in the process.
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All had a very intense rehearsal time in the last few weeks. The choir had three to four-hour practices on the days leading up to the concert. All the work they put into it resulted in the performance. The intention of the concert was not only about execution and production, but the warmth of the holidays and making people happy, Dulworth said. The concert was to promote the feel and signification of community, confidence and cooperation. “I love the ability to express my emotion and ideas in a fun and exciting way. To know that you can say whatever you want and show how you feel through another instrument rather than voice when talking is beautiful,” Aikens said. “In choir, you form this special bond with so many people and become like a family. To do what I love with who I love is a fantastic feeling.” Not only do the students enjoy choir a lot, but so does the director. Their enthusiasm is probably a result of the other people’s mood. “What I like best about being the choir director is challenging the students, make them make improvements and stretch them to reach their full potential,” Pratt said. His and all the staffers’ and students’ work, energy and time that this project demanded was definitely worth it. “I am content with our performance. The students did well and the execution and transition of all songs worked well,” Pratt said. The audience enjoyed the concert a lot, as could be seen by the loud and enthusiastic applause of the standing people during the concert and at the end. “The audience was in love. There were happy tears and all smiling faces all night,” Aikens said. The upcoming concerts of Grosse Pointe South Choirs are the competition sets in January and a Broadway show in May. Don’t miss it if you want to see the choir’s room-filling sound, entertainment, aesthetic, varied stage performance and its professionalism.
TAKE A BOW | Grosse Pointe South choir performed ‘Sounds of the Season’ on Thursday, Dec. 8. The show was sold out.
PHOTOS BY ELLA DIEPEN ’18
SOUNDS OF MUSIC
String musical extravaganza showcases talent of all ages
GRAPHIC BY GRIFFIN JONES ’17
Band-O-Rama to perform holiday classics KAITLIN NEMEH ‘19 | Staff Writer and-O-Rama, a district wide instrumental concert, will take place next week, in South’s main gym. “It involves all band students grades five to 12 from the South end of the district,” Christopher Takis, band director, said. “It’s Defer, Maire, Trombley, Richard and Kerby, and the bands from Pierce and the bands from South as well. Every other year Brownell is with us, and sometimes they go to North.” Each grade performs music to show their playing abilities, and what students can CHRISTOPHER TAKIS achieve if they continue Band Director on in music. The high schoolers play well to impress the middle schoolers, and the middle school kids want to impress the elementary kids, Takis said. “It gives a chance for all band students grades five to 12 to showcase what they’re able to do,” Takis said. “It’s a good way for every single level of band to see what can happen at the next level.” The high school band students enjoy seeing how far they’ve come from elementary school, and also want to encourage the younger kids to continue playing their instruments, Hadley Hermon ’17, trumpet player, said. “I really like seeing the little kids in elementary and middle school,” Hermon said. “It’s nice to see them learn and to see them play.” The response from the crowd and kids are what the high school band students appreciate most, Connor Wood ’17, alto saxophone player, said. “I’m looking forward to playing the songs and seeing how the kids react,” Wood said. “That’s my favorite part of Band-O-Rama.”
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BLAIR CULLEN ‘18 | Staff Writer Grosse Pointe North will be holding the String Extravaganza for all nine elementary schools, three middle schools and both of the high schools. “The concert allows the parents and younger string students to show what you sound like in fifth grade versus what you can sound like in 12th grade,” Mr. Gross, South’s orchestra teacher said. “The fifth graders are playing ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ while the high schoolers are playing the ‘Handel’s Messiah.”’ On Dec. 21, at 7 p.m., the district-wide concert will allow parents to see what students have been working on since Thanksgiving. Admissions will be donations of a dollar or more. “I’m really excited for this year’s String Extravaganza,” Amelia Abouljoud ’18 said. “I have been doing this since fifth grade, and it’s really fun. It’s cool to see all of the string programs put together, with all the different grades.” South will be playing three songs on their own, and then will perform with the younger schools, and they will all chime in for the last song. The string students have been rehearsing during class. The chamber orchestra who will be playing more at the concert meets after school on Fridays and a dress rehearsal will take place next week. “This week, we receive the music that we will be playing with the elementary schools,” Logan Cholody ’17 said. “ I am really confident with how we will play at the String Extravaganza.”
Both Hermon and Wood have been attending and performing at Band-O-Rama since they were in fifth grade. South will have four different bands performing at the event. “The marching band is going to open it, then the jazz band will perform, and the concert band, symphony band and the wooden ensemble will perform together,” Takis said. The bands have been preparing for this event since November, when the Pops and Pastries event ended. “They’ve been starting to get ready for it since the beginning of November,” Takis said. “We have been balancing between this and working on our festival music at the same time.” All bands have been practicing the variety of songs that they will perform, everyday in class, as well as outside of school. “The jazz band is going to be playing ‘We Three Kings,’ and then a song from ‘The Polar Express’ called ‘Rockin’ on Top of the World,’” Takis said. “The symphony band and wooden ensemble and the concert band are going to be playing ‘Africa’ by Toto. They are also going to play a version of ‘Carol of the Bells’ from the Trans Siberian Orchestra. The marching band is going to play two songs from ‘Les Miserables.’” The bands are expected to have a strong performance, and to set a good example for the next level group to follow behind them, Takis said. “My expectations are the same as they would be for any performance they give, it should be a high level of performing, they should be prepared, they should play well,” Takis said. “I expect the same thing at every performance whether it’s Band-o-Rama, a football game or a festival.” The concert is on Monday, Dec. 19, at 7 p.m. Tickets will be sold at the door for $1, and there will be no advanced ticket sales.
It gives a chance for all band students grades five to 12 to showcase what they’re able to do.
THIS WEEK AT SOUTH...
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Boys Varsity Basketball plays Grosse Pointe North at home at 7 p.m.
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Band-O-Rama will take place in South’s main gym at 7 p.m.
AT A GLANCE:
The String Extravaganza will be held at Grosse Pointe North on Dec. 21 at 7 p.m.
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The Key Club is hosting their toy drive now until the last day before break.