Every year, students in both orchestra and choir partake in their respective concerts. The audience consists of family, friends and judges if necessary, but there is one exception to this rule: MAD Music Day. This is an event where local elementary and middle schools come to listen to one of three performances made possible by the hard work of these students and their teachers. The one big event where the choir and orchestra work together both to make the experience as fun and smooth as possible, but also to collaborate on songs. In short, it is an event everyone looks forward to, as the general consensus of students agree that they enjoy the experience.
MAD Music Day is the first concert of the school year, focusing on pop-songs that the kids both recognize and love. The difficulty of pieces can vary, but the focus of the concert as a whole tends to be more on the atmosphere and creating a memorable experience rather than dazzling the audience with high notes or unusual rhythms. This effect, while dependent on catchy song selection, also intertwines a mix of light and dark. This technique is exemplified through two songs: Force of Nature and Light the Fire Within.
“Since [Force of Nature] was our opening song, the kids were very excited,” said Becca Gomez-Colindres (’26). “Not only that, the set up with the lights dimmed and the red shining on us, it hyped them up.”
Since this event happens during the school day, the students involved are excused from their classes. Instead, they spend the day running between the auditorium, choir room, orchestra room and Warhawk Hall. Both orchestra teacher Erin Eberly and choir teacher Claire Rowan make sure to leave the next few class periods free so students can complete missed assignments and use that time to meet with teachers. This is especially important since the Warhawk times leading up to the event are used for rehearsals, limiting the ability to get school work done beforehand. This is done in an effort to prevent students from having to attend after school rehearsals, and to instead use the available time already built into the schedule.
At the end of the day, this event is for the kids. It is meant to encourage young students, who might not be able to envision themselves on that stage yet. It gives them role models to look up to and adore, a point Erin Eberly has brought up time and time again. It is a way to inspire the next generation of musicians to continue their journey, because with enough practice and determination, they too can be a part of the performance. But this concert, low-pressure and filled to the brim with loveable music, is also a smart way to help the high school students to ease back into school and prepare for the year ahead.
