["The Star-Spangled Banner" by Francis Scott Key]
[stately music]
["The Star-Spangled Banner" by Francis Scott Key]
[audience applauding]
- Teresa Schroepfer: And now it is my distinct privilege
to introduce to you
the 2021 WSMA High School State Honors Orchestra
and their esteemed conductor, Dr. Mark Dupere.
[audience applauding]
[vibrant string music]
[ Carnival Overture , Op. 92 by Antonín Dvorák]
[English horn solo]
[clarinet solo]
[ Carnival Overture , Op. 92 by Antonín Dvorák]
[audience applauding]
- Thank you so much, welcome.
We'd like to extend our welcome as well.
It's so great to see you.
What an extraordinary thing to see a live audience.
It's just so wonderful and I'm sure
for the musicians as well, so thanks again.
Just a few words.
So that was the festive Carnival Overture
of Antonín Dvorák to start off tonight's program.
Each of the four pieces have a really unique
and interesting background backstory to it,
so I'd encourage you to take a look at the program notes.
The next piece is by the American composer Michael Torke,
a piece called Javelin , written in 1994.
And obviously, by the name, it evokes the idea
of this kind of throwing javelins in the air,
and, for me personally, I just feel like I'm flying
when I hear this piece.
It's just fantastic, the music of flight.
But we had the extraordinary privilege this last June
to have a virtual visit with the composer.
And it was phenomenal and so inspiring
to talk to a living composer,
and I'm sure the musicians feel the same way.
It was just wonderful to hear about his experiences
and about the piece that we're about to play.
And it turns out, he's a Wisconsin native as well.
So enjoy Torke's Javelin .
Thanks.
[vivacious music]
[ Javelin by Michael Torke]
[audience applauding]
[lyrical, expressive music]
[ Variations on an Original Theme , Op. 36 "Enigma": IX. Nimrod by Edward Elgar]
[audience applauding]
Thank you for that.
That's always a special piece every time.
And it's so poignant for this last year as well.
That piece just gives a moment of reflection,
and so thank you for that, orchestra.
The last piece is the fantastic, no pun intended,
Symphonie fantastique's "March to the Scaffold."
A fabulous piece, grotesque at times, triumphant at times,
it's a lot of fun to play.
But I just wanted to add my words of thanks to the coaches.
Thank you so much, and staff, thank you.
Thank you to the coaches, yes.
[audience applauding] [feet stamping]
Thank you to the parents for everything,
for all the dedication, for riding to the lessons,
and for the instruments and da da da.
Thank you so much, parents, thank you.
[audience applauding] [feet stamping]
You know, it was a very unusual retreat this last year.
It was virtual.
We had one day to come together in a field house.
I think we were spread like 200 feet apart.
It was crazy. [laughs]
But I just can't thank the students behind me
for their dedication and their work
and their effort to pull this thing together
essentially in the last couple days.
It's just, thank you so much.
I'll never forget it.
Thank you, all.
[audience applauding]
Enjoy "March to the Scaffold."
[quiet, stately music]
[ Symphonie fantastique , Op. 14: IV. "March au supplice" by Hector Berlioz]
[audience applauding]
[feet stamping]