TPHS Music Department Winter Concert

The Torrey Pines High School Music Department held its Winter Concert Jan. 13 and 14 at Torrey Pines High School’s new Performance Arts Center, directed by Amy Gelb.

The Tuesday Jan. 13 concert featured performances by the Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, and Jazz Band. Wind Ensemble performed First Suite in E Flat for Military Band, Op. 28 No. 1 in three movements by Gustav Holst, followed by Rikudim (Four Israeli Folk Dances for Band) by Jan Van der Roost.

The Orchestra performed Concerto for Flute and Harp in C Major, K 299 Movement II Andantino (Mozart) with solos by freshmen Erica Wang (flute) and Velana Valdez (harp), Serenade for Strings in E Major Op. 22 (Dvorak) in two movements, concluding with Concerto for Two Cellos in G Minor, RV 531, Movement 1 (Allegro) by Vivaldi, with cello solos by Josephine Kim (11) and Darren Jiang (12).

Jazz Band played six rousing pieces, starting with High Five by Sammy Nestico, with solos from Andrea Dai on piano (12), Will McPhie on trombone (10), Trent Fallon on tenor sax (10), James Freedman on trumpet (12), and Samuel Sheffield on stand-up bass (10).

Next was Misty (Burke, Garner) with Morgan Thompson (11) on vocals, followed by Boogie Stop Shuffle (Mingus) featuring solos by Trent, Andrew, and Caleb Sheffield (12) on drums. Everlasting (Goodwin) featured a violin solo by Nicole Pustilnik (11), then Take the “A” Train (Strayhorn, Taylor), with Bella Russo (12) on vocals and solos from Ian Chen (10) and James Freedman (12). The spectacular evening of music closed with Lover Come Back To Me (Hammerstein, Romberg) with Morgan at vocals.

Wednesday, Jan.14 was the first showing of this year’s Guitar Ensemble, which performed St. Anthony Chorale (Haydn), Carol of the Bells (a Ukrainian carol), Minuet In G Major (Bach), Rain (Lennon & McCartney), Time is On My Side (Ragovoy), Your Cheatin’ Heart (Hank Williams), Hangman’s Reed (traditional), and Stand By Me (King, Leiber, & Stoller).

The Choir’s outstanding performance rounded off the showcase, with Loch Lomond (a Scottish folk song), A Celtic Blessing (a traditional Irish blessing), The Water Is Wide (traditional) with solos from sophomores Audrey Le and Camille Annett, Jolene (Dolly Parton) with a solo from Linnea Cooley (9); Oh What a Beautiful Mornin’ (Hammerstein & Rodgers, from Oklahoma!) with a solo from Bryan Cha (11); and Na Na Na (Pentatonix) with a solo from Voula Gianulias (12). These incredibly talented musicians worked very hard under the direction of Amy Gelb to carry off an impressive show.

The Spring Concert will be March 17 & 18, 7-8:30 p.m. in the Torrey Pines High School’s Performance Arts Center. The suggested donation is $10 per adult; students and kids are free. To make a contribution to the TPHS Music Program, visit www.TorreyPinesFoundation.org and select “Music.”

Photosby Jon Clark Online: rsfreview.com and delmartimes.net