On Thursday, September 28th, the Amador Valley band performed their first concert of the year in the Amador theater. Free of cost, the band welcomed students and parents to an evening of music from jazz to classical.
The concert was split into four sections, one for each group: Jazz A, Saxophone Ensemble, Wind Ensemble I, and Wind Ensemble II. Each ensemble, but the Saxophone Ensemble, performs three songs that each last around 5-10 minutes long.
“I haven’t heard what Wind Ensemble II has been playing or Jazz A. It was definitely cool to [listen] and share music with other people. It’s a community effort. Everybody gets to contribute. Everybody gets to put their artistic voice into the final performance,” said Joseph Li (‘24), Wind Ensemble I oboist.
The concert is the product of two months of hard work and dedication. First, they selected their songs from a wide range of options. From there, they practiced them repeatedly until the date of performance.
“In the beginning, we mostly focused on getting the right notes and speeding up the tempo, making sure that all the technical stuff was right. But, as we move forward, it was more about fine-tuning smaller details and also working on what the composer is trying to express in that piece,” said Li.
The first concert of the year holds a special importance. It is an opportunity for the band to start the year off strong. For some, it is also their first experience performing in the wind ensemble.
“It’s pretty early in the year, so there’s a little bit of anxiety: ‘Are we ready?’ But at the same time, it’s a lot of fun. We get to actually put something out there. It’s just kind of cool to be able to share the music with friends and family,” said Brayden Ye (‘24), Jazz A saxophonist.
The concert ranges from dramatic, melancholy pieces like “The Witch and the Saint” to more playful, cheerful ones like “The Entertainer.” Each piece has its own unique tone.
“I really enjoyed playing Danzón No. 2 because it’s a very fast and exciting piece. Also, there’s a lot of solos [in the piece], so it’s really nice seeing other people shine,” said Emily Choe (‘26), Wind Ensemble I flutist and piccolo player.
