The PHS Bands 2017 Spring Concert was held on Wednesday May 17. The concert featured pieces played by the PHS symphonic band, the PHS jazz lab band, and the PHS school jazz band.
Dr. Andria Mullan directed the PHS symphonic and PHS jazz band, and Galen Grant directed the PHS jazz lab band for this concert.
Flute player and sophomore Ben Sigal said that his favorite piece was “Star Wars – The Marches” because he thinks the music is not only very interesting, but also familiar to his fellow musicians and the audience.
“It’s just a very fun experience to play it,” Sigal said.
Junior Max Woodruff-Madeira said that playing guitar for “But Not For Me” was fun although not super interesting.
“But I also had a lot of fun on the congas on the other song that [the jazz band] played, which was ‘Superstition,’” Woodruff-Madeira said.
Trombone player and sophomore Iain Brown said his favorite song was “Buckjump” because of how energetic and powerful it is.
“It is intoxicating, but not in a bad way,” Brown said. “It’s like you get sucked into the music.”
Flute player and senior Veronica Wong said that in spring, the symphonic band often plays a lot of pops music.
“This year we played Star Wars and Under the Sea from The Little Mermaid as our pop pieces,” Wong said. “I think pops pieces are really fun and entertaining for the most part.”
In this year’s spring concert, the PHS jazz band performed George and Ira Gershwin’s “But Not For Me” with Kay Sibal as a guest vocal soloist.
Music awards for senior band musicians were presented at the close of the concert. Seniors Ryan Padua, Xavier-Woodruff Madeira, Veronica Wong, and Princeton Liu all received awards.
Xavier received the Outstanding Senior in Jazz Band award, Padua received the Outstanding Senior in Symphonic Band Award, Liu received the Music Director’s Award and Wong received the Outstanding Senior in Instrumental Music Award.