The Contemporary Voices and Instruments of the Antelope Valley Orchestra and Master Chorale
- Jun 4, 2017
- 3 min read
On Saturday, May 20th 2017, Lancaster’s own Antelope Valley Symphony Orchestra and Master Chorale teamed up with Quartz Hill High School’s Acapella Choir and Antelope Valley College’s Dance Dimensions to put on a show that would bring smiles, awe, and amazement.
Professional violist and Concertmaster of the night’s symphony, Wendy Clare, has everyone tune their instruments as she takes her seat as the first chair near the podium where the conductor will then start the show.
Mrs. Clare has such a beautiful background in music, “I always played the violin, and though I never had actual professional classes I enjoyed it,” she says.
“I started out wanting to do dance then I went to take theater arts. It was not until one of my music professors offered me a scholarship to play music did I see myself doing it professionally.”
She continues, “I believe that my background in dance and theater also helps me know and feel my music in my violin. It is why I am so incredibly moved by the music I play.”
The first piece David Newby, professor of music at Antelope Valley College and the artistic director/conductor for the night’s show, selected was Aaron Copland’s invigoratingly open-air piece ‘Outdoor Overture.’ After re-tuning the orchestra’s instruments, the Master Chorale and Dance Dimensions join the stage to take present of the work of William Grant Still, Sahdji.
Sahdji is a story about a tribal woman falling in love with her husband’s nephew and successor. Once her husband dies, she must make the decision to be with the love of her life or follow tribal traditions and kill herself to be with him. Brenda Solis whom dances the role of Sahdji beautifully brought the character and story line to life.
Olaf Lansgaard is a Rosamond attorney who sings bass with the Antelope Valley Master Chorale. “I have been singing with them for five years,” Lansgaard says as he smiles wide greeting everyone and introducing his sister and niece.
Another bass singer for the Master Chorale, 57-year-old, Daniel Davidson, “I have been singing since the womb,” he joked. Davidson is a music major at Antelope Valley College, “I have always known this is what I want to do. I get to sing with the orchestra, and it is amazing.”
When the story of Sahdji ended Newby lead the orchestra through the last song before Intermission. Choros No. 10 is part of a series of 14 numbered compositions. Newby conducted the orchestra through the highs and lows of starting with the solos of trumpets, violins, and flutes.
After the fifteen minute intermission, the audience then returns to their seats to watch and listen what Quartz Hill High School’s acapella choir can do. The high school choir exceeds the expectations of the audience as they start off with Mark S. Repasky’s Alleluia. The soft and warm harmonies work together to bring Repasky’s Alleluia to life.
Quartz Hill High School acapella choir powerfully brings Northern Lights by Ola Gjeilo together and shows how beauty can just be as terrible with the chilling lyrics.
Bringing the tempo and mood up the acapella choir then sang the song Connected by Brian Tates and then bringing the speed up even further with Tumekuja Kuimba by Lynn Settlemoyer. Soloists Amanda Sullivan and Elizabeth Aguilar brought so much power to the song and delivered it with so much personality the audience could not help but notice the fun the kids were having.
To close out the performance, the Quartz Hill High School Chamber Singers ended with a fun and great song – Uptown Funk by Bruno Mars. Nicholas Aguilar had so much energy spread out on the stage while singing that the audience could not help going crazy over the performance.
The entire Quartz Hill Acapella Choir then joins the stage to sing together a few songs but one stuck out the most when Jose Fonseca sang the solo for the song let “All the People Say “Amen” written by Pepper Choplin. It was a performance to remember.
The show then ends with High School choir and the Antelope Valley Symphony Orchestra and Master Chorale singing and playing “Song of Democracy” by Howard Hanson.
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