Fossil’s Orchestras bring holiday spirit to December concert

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Symphony Orchestra plays Selections from the Nutcracker Suite by Illich Tchaikovsky.

Beth Farrand, Arts Writer

The three Fossil Ridge High School orchestras blew the audience away during their concert on Monday, December 9, 2019. This concert featured the three orchestras at Fossil: Sinfonietta, Concert and Symphony, conducted by Luciano R. Silvestri, Jr and Liz Richardson. Each group played a various number of songs including multiple holiday tunes throughout the nights event. 

Starting the concert off was Sinfonietta, the freshman orchestra. They played a total of four tunes during their portion of the concert. This group started and ended with two classics, Silver Bells by Jay Livingston and Selections from the Nutcracker Suite by Pyotr Illich Tchaikovsky. They also played Music from Frozen and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Ralph Blane. Following Sinfonietta, Concert Orchestra played O Holy Night by Adolphe Charles Adam. This semester, Liz Richardson has been working with the Concert orchestra, as she is a Colorado State University Practicum student preparing to student teach in the spring. During this concert, she conducted The Journey of the Magi by Robert Longfield. Concert also played Fantasia on a 17th Century Tune. Concert Orchestra finished out their time on stage with a song by John Williams, Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Medley). Ending the concert was the advanced orchestra, Symphony. They also played four tunes starting with The Sleigh (A la Russe) by Richard Kountz. Similar to Sinfonietta, Symphony also played Selections from the Nutcracker Suite. However, this group played a more advanced version of the song compared to the one Sinfonietta played. Silvestri also noted that this song is more difficult than the original score due to the fact that the orchestra was playing both band and orchestra parts during the song. The final two pieces of the night were both holiday tunes, Christmas Eve/Sarajevo by Paul O’Neill and Christmas Festival by Leroy Anderson. 

Noted in the program, which lists all the songs performed during the night, is also the selection for Western States Honor Orchestra and Colorado All State Orchestra. Both orchestras require an audition be sent in. The audition will then be judged and if your audition is selected, you join the group, which travels to a designated location within the state and plays advanced music. There were two selected from Fossil, both in the Symphony Orchestra. For Colorado All State Orchestra, Levi Kraus and Hannah Mullins were selected, and for Western States Honor Orchestra, Hannah Mullins.