Schools
6th Annual Stringfest: Tchaikovsky to Lady Gaga
Amazing Turn-Out at Nanuet Senior High School for Stringfest '11
Stringfest 2011 had a great turn out. The Nanuet High School auditorium was already half full by sound check. At the auditorium's entrance, a solo violinist played introductory music. The orchestra played music like John Lennon’s “Hey Jude” and “Eleanor Rigby,” Scott Joplin’s “The Entertainers” and some Irish Folk Tunes.
Alex Fung, Katherine Rife and Elaine Royal were the conductors for the night.
"We're playing everything from Rock ‘n’ Roll, 1812 and everything in between,” said Royal.
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“We hope Psycho will give you the creeps,” said Rife before the High School Chamber Orchestra performed the prelude to Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho”
The whole concert consisted of 5th grade students to high school Seniors. It started with the 5th grade orchestra, conducted by Alex Fung. The 5th grade orchestra also performed Coldplay’s “Clocks.”
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“Mr. Fung makes it fun for the kids,” said a father of a 5th grader.
“Joyed that music is still enjoyable for kids so young,” said a mother of a 5th grader.
The program also welcomed Guest Speaker Katie Lynn, who played bass cello since the third grade.
“The orchestra room has become a second home to me,” Lynn said.
Conducted by Rife, the Middle School Chamber Orchestra performed “Don’t Stop Believin,’” which was originally performed by Journey. Once the entire Chamber Orchestra had stopped believing, they split up to perform in separate grades, starting with the 6th grade.
The 6th graders' performance was named the “Lady Gage Hit Mix" and Rife said they were sorry that they “didn’t dress up as Lady Gaga.” Royal then came on to conduct the 7th and 8th graders and their performance of Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida.”
The Chamber Orchestra broke up into the regular High School Orchestra for “Take the ‘A’ Train” with soloists Brendan Dang, Shira Goldman, Katie Lynn and Eve Quinn; Soloist Eve Quinn’s Bass Cello solo of the “Concerto in G Major –Mvt. 1” followed, accompanied by Tracy Kirschner on piano.
For the second to last performance of the night, it was a mixture of classical instruments with a mix of modern electronics. Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze” was performed with the regular High School Orchestra alongside electric guitar players Benjamin Wu, Luke Fay, Niko Giannakakos and John Tamigi; electric violinists Alexa Texel and Stephanie Wu as well as electric bass players Eve Quinn, Katie Lynn, Soubhana Asif, Aedan Lambardo and Bridget Ierace.
And, for the grand finale of Stringfest ’11: Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture.” Stringfest lasted little over an hour, after which everyone met in the cafeteria for some desserts and refreshments.
