Music has always been a big part of the culture here at HHS, but the talent on display at the 2018 Prism Concert on Oct. 25 truly knocked everyone’s socks off. The concert featured performances from the Wind Ensemble, Vox, Concert Chorus, Jazz Ensemble, the Corporation, and the Marching Band. Led by the hardworking Mr. Harden and Mr. Wade, the concert was truly outstanding and showcased the amazing music department at HHS.

The concert opened with the Wind Ensemble performing a piece entitled “Make Our Garden Grow,” written by Leonard Bernstein. It was truly a beautiful piece. The ensemble sounded so well together that you could really tell how much the performers love music.

Next, the Vox Choir took the stage and performed “Dirait-On,” written by Morton Lauridsen. Amazing is just an understatement on how they performed. Every time those girls sing, it’s just an awesome sensation. Chills go down your spine and you’re just in awe of their talent. It’s truly magical.

After Vox, Concert Chorus performed “Nine Hundred Miles,” a traditional American folk song. The chorus sounded beautiful and full of passion. You could see it in their eyes and the way they stood on the risers. They wanted to be there. It was a beautiful moment.

If you weren’t sure whether you wanted to see the upcoming school musical, Little Shop of Horrors, then the next performance likely convinced you. Emma Gannon, who plays Audrey in the musical, and Fred Trankels, who plays Seymour, sang the duet “Suddenly Seymour.” The two of them were outstanding. They have amazing voices and could tell the story of the song through their motions and words. It captivated me and this was only a taste of what they can do. If they were this good with just one song, imagine how awesome they are going to be during the show! I can hardly wait!

Next, the Jazz Ensemble performed “One More for the Count” by Mark Louis. The piece was written to honor Count Basie, a jazz pianist, organist, and composer. The Jazz Ensemble did Count Basie proud. It was such a good song that it made you sway in your seat. There was also a solo on the trombone by Andrea Contreras. She killed it! The performance was outstanding and made you want to move your feet.

The combined choirs then came back out onto the stage and performed “I Know a Young Maiden,” written by Orlando di Lasso. They were stunning. The audience sat in such stunned silence, you could hear a pin drop! All of those beautiful and amazing voices put together was just perfection! I could listen to them for hours! 

The second to last performance of the night came from the Corporation, singing “For the Longest Time” by Billy Joel. There were solos from Fred Trankels, Jack Thornton, Peter Bell, Peter Scribner, Ben Manning, Chris Manning, and Christian Lyttle. The boys sounded awesome. This song was really a perfect fit for them. It was catchy, fun, and upbeat! It was certainly a moment to remember for the longest time.

The HHS Marching Band performed their filed show “Journeys” to cap off the night. The show features the songs “Country Roads,” “Don’t Stop Believing,” “The Road Home,” “Homeward Bound” and “Life is a Highway.” No matter how many times the band performs this music, it still strikes me. They work so hard and they bring all of this energy which just makes the crowd go crazy! 

Throughout the concert, video segments were projected for the audience to see. In these videos, members of the music ensemble spoke about what music means to them. In these videos, you could totally tell how much music is a part of everyday life here at HHS. These kids eat, sleep, and breathe music, as do Mr. Wade and Mr. Harden right along with them. That’s what makes music here at HHS so special. It’s the passion and the love. The students want to be here and create music. Music is just so special and it brings so many people together in so many different ways.

This Prism Concert was certainly a night to remember. It showed off all of the talent here at Hanover High and the dedication of the teachers who lead the music department. I certainly cannot wait for next year’s concert!