By Shaina Telford

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The MHS music department opened the season and the school year with their Fall Pops concert on Sep. 22. Eight different music groups, varying in skill level, encompassed the band, orchestra and chorus, and were led by four different musical directors.  These groups performed a variety of pieces that reached through different time periods and genres, allowing them to wow audience members with their skill and unity.

“On the student’s part it was a display of what we’re capable of when we listen to our musical directors. And on the musical directors’ part it shows what they can do to the most naive student to the most musically experienced student which is turn them into a pretty great ensemble,” Select Chorus member, Senior Garrison Ishikawa-Gonzalez said.

The Concert Orchestra, led by Fine Arts teacher Brian Hirata, kicked off the night with three pieces, including “Rondino Giovale” by Mary Alice Rich, followed by the Choice of Voice first year chorus and the Concert Band.When the MHS Prima Voice took center stage they opened their performance with the song “Tantum Ergo,” written by Gabriel Faure. While sticking to more traditional pieces, MHS Prima Voice broke the norm with a modern mash-up of the songs “Just the Way You Are” and “Just a Dream,” that was originally from the popular movie “Pitch Perfect.”

After a brief intermission, the night picked back up again with the MHS Symphonic Band directed by Hirata and their song selections including “The Best of Journey,” arranged by Paul Murtha. Following the Symphonic Band, Ke Kulana Papa Himeni o Miliani, the select chorus, performed “Can You Feel The Love Tonight,” from the Disney Movie “The Lion King.” The combined chorus put on masks and followed with an elaborate performance of “Masquerade,” from the musical, “The Phantom of the Opera.”

Practice and preparation were key for the performers. “I was a lot more nervous than I thought I would be leading up to my solo, but once I started singing I was okay. I just trusted in my music director Ishii, and (Ishii) really helped me practice the solo and to get all the phrasing right to just sound really great,” Ishikawa-Gonzalez said.

“A lot of people grow up singing, but a lot of people don’t grow up with proper choral technique, I think which is a different kind of singing. For the other groups, which were more advanced, it was really more about the higher level performance technique,” said Ishii.

The grande finale featured all of the combined groups, performing “Hawaii Aloha,” and brought the evening to a close. “It was great, they did a great job. All the bands did a great job. I was impressed by the ‘1812 Overture,’ and also that they took on so many big pieces. I really like ‘Fiddler on the Roof,’ (Symphonic Wind Ensemble) and it was all really great. Even if you don’t have kids performing you should still come and see the shows,” said Samuel Thomsen, parent of Freshman Spencer Thomsen from the Concert Band and Senior Seth Thomsen from the Symphonic Band.

Although the concert went late past the initially announced end-time, the enthusiasm shown by not only the performers themselves, but by all their supporters remained present. The different performing groups will come together again for their winter concert in December.