The Spring Orchestra Concert was a breathtaking adventure on Tuesday! MICDS students from third through 12th grade dazzled the audience with song after song of mounting skills and techniques, beautiful and dynamic music, and moments of awe.
First to the stage were the MICDS Strings students in third and fourth grade under the direction of Nicole Kovaluk, MICDS Strings Instructor. They performed several folk songs including Twinkle Little Star Variations and French Folk Song. The third and fourth-grade musicians showed off the D Major scale and even played Train Song while marching single-file in a line like a train.
The rest of the groups were directed by Dr. Jo Nardolillo, Orchestra Director and JK-12 Arts Department Chair, and Erin Hamill, Assistant Orchestra Director. Next came the Middle School performances starting with an MICDS trio. Anna Ko ’28 played viola, Nolan Ma ’28 played cello, and Emmaus Tzeng ’28 played piano. The talented trio beautifully performed The Swan by Camille Saint-Saëns. Then, the seventh-grade orchestra took everyone on an exciting ride as they performed three numbers, including a song called Dragonhunter, conducted by Emmaus, and Perfect, with a guitar and singing solo by special guest Wayne Kelley, Director of Technology Service and Support. The eighth-grade orchestra then performed two pieces including Incognito and Music of the Night with solos by Grace Maher ’27 and Siva Ram ’27.
The Upper School orchestra played full of adventure as they showcased five different numbers. To name a few, Mission Impossible was conducted by Ava Janes ’23, It Takes One to Tango featured a solo by Ellie Chen ’26, and students also played Invicta by Soon Hee Newbold with a solo by Emma Shao ’23. Composer Soon Hee Newbold had virtually visited the Upper School Orchestra in April, so it was a delight to perform her piece with more meaning, context, and feedback from her directly.
The spring concert incorporated some very special details to make the performances memorable. Throughout the show, different students had leadership opportunities to serve as Concertmasters or Conductors. They wore dark sunglasses at times to evoke a mysterious and adventurous tone to the exciting music. Also, one of the pieces called for audience participation which added a fun element for all.
Before the final performance, several awards were given out. Congratulations to the following students on their remarkable achievements!
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Leonard Bernstein Musicianship Award given to Emma Shao ’23
This award honors students whose musical contributions, dedication, and creativity set them apart as deserving of the highest recognition for their achievements. -
Director’s Choice Award given to Hannah Morey ’23
The Director’s Award for Orchestra honors the top leaders of a high school orchestra. -
National Orchestra Award given to Ava Janes ’23
The National School Orchestra Award® is the highest honor bestowed upon a member of a high school orchestra to recognize excellence in playing and contributions to the ensemble.
Lastly, all of the strings and orchestra students gathered on stage for one final song, Viva la Vida by Coldplay. The stage was full of such talent and the final song was one for the books! Following, everyone enjoyed a reception provided by the Parents Association Arts Boosters. It included food, beverages, and a special appearance by Charger the Ram decked out in his concert best.
Several of the performers had a chance to reflect on the concert and the past year of being part of the MICDS Orchestra Program. Here’s what they had to say:
Emma Shao ’23 – “My favorite parts of the Spring Concert were the solos, including the pieces Perfect, It Takes One to Tango, and Invicta. I had so much fun playing my solo, Invicta, and it was a great way to end my senior year in orchestra. This concert was definitely my best and one to remember.
“Through this past year in orchestra, Dr. Nardolillo provided many helpful resources and gave me advice on practice techniques. It was helpful to learn from her, and I enjoyed helping my classmates as well. Additionally, we had many opportunities to perform in front of an audience this year, and being the concertmaster or soloist helped me build self-confidence. I have been in the orchestra program for the last three years, and each year was a very different experience with different people; however, I enjoyed each year and the friends I made in class. I will miss playing with the orchestra and our boba and MOD pizza runs we had before concerts!”
Isabelle Williams ’26 – “My highlight of the Spring Concert was definitely when they played Happy Birthday because I actually wasn’t expecting it, so it was a wonderful surprise. [Isabelle was serving as Concertmaster and leading the tuning session at the concert on her birthday when the rest of the orchestra, all of a sudden, played Happy Birthday for her.]
“The past year in the orchestra has given me great memories and friends. I was new this year, and I was very worried at first going into my classes that I wasn’t going to have friends. The orchestra has handed me amazing people, whom I was able to quickly bond with. My orchestra friends from this school year are people I will cherish for the rest of my high school years.”
Ella Lin ’26 – “The Orchestra Program not only helps you grow as a musician but also as a person. Dr. Nardolillo cares about everyone as she helps them work their hardest and do their best. She makes sure everyone is comfortable with the pieces and class, and she listens to her students to make her class the best it can be. Her teaching has helped me do better and made me want to work harder. I am now able to play harder songs, and I have so much more fun in class.
“I really enjoyed getting to know each of my classmates in the orchestra this year. The class is really welcoming and everyone is open to meeting you and getting to know you. Dr. Nardolillo and Ms. Hamill are also AMAZING teachers. I’m so glad I got to know them as they are such great people. They’ve taught us a lot of cool tricks and techniques as well as made us feel comfortable, and they tailored their class to help us achieve the best we can.”
Emmaus Tzeng ’28 – “It was an amazing experience not only playing ourselves but also listening to the other orchestras play. This year I started to learn the cello. String instruments are different from the piano, so it was fun to try something new. I can’t wait to play in orchestra next year and 100% recommend it to any musicians coming to seventh grade next year. Being a new seventh-grader myself, it was very comforting to be part of a program that I’m already familiar with and comfortable with.”
Mia Adams ’27 – “The highlight of the Spring Concert for me would be getting to play Viva la Vida with the whole orchestra and hearing the Upper School orchestra play. This year, the Orchestra Program has challenged me in new ways and has given me many great experiences. I’ve gotten to work with many people and try new techniques, allowing me to grow as a person and as a musician throughout the year. It’s a very creative environment that I’m happy to be a part of!”
Grace Maher ’27 – “Throughout this year I have grown in many ways. Dr. Nardolillo introduced a more professional way to our orchestra class, which has helped in understanding how a real orchestra is run. In past years, I have been more shy playing the violin, and Dr. Nardolillo has shown me how to get past that so much that I even played the first violin solo, a role that I would not have chosen in the near past.
“I would like to thank Dr. Nardolillo and Ms. Hamill for an amazing year. Dr. Nardolillo and Ms. Hamill both put so much work into expanding the strings program and making our experiences great. Dr. Nardolillo has helped me grow so much this year. I have learned so much already and can’t wait for another year with them as teachers.”
Check out the program from the concert for more details. Congratulations to all who shared such wonderful music with the MICDS community!