TOWAMENCIN-With the holiday break quickly approaching, North Penn students are busy with a crammed week of school, extreme cookie baking, and last minute shopping. But with all the hustle and bustle aside, students will be treated not only to silver bells, but also to brass, strings, woodwinds, golden voices, and so much more at North Penn’s annual holiday concert this Wednesday, December 19th.
With a preview for students during 3rd period and an evening performance at 7PM, the holiday concert includes presentation from the band, orchestra, chorus, and digital music classes. For many sophomores, this is their first experience with North Penn’s renowned music programs in which over 600 students are involved.
“If a student has never seen one of our concerts,” explained chorus director Mr. Matthew Klenk,” I think they can expect to be pleasantly surprised by the ability level and overall professionalism of all the groups. We’re really proud of our ensembles. Mr. [Michael] Britcher and I, we don’t like to treat our kids like they’re high school kids. We push them to be more than that.”
In addition to the vocal programs, students will hear pieces performed collectively by each of their peers involved in the band programs. According to Britcher, the band’s conductor, this performance is unique because “it’s the one and one and only performance of the combined band during the school year.”
Klenk explained that the music programs are able to do great things outside of school including performances at local venues like Memorial Park and Dock Woods. Last year, select students were chosen to perform at a competition in Washington D.C. Brimming with positivity, Klenk did his best to keep it short as he explained the infinite value music has to a student’s education and life in general.
“I realize that I’ll probably come across as biased, but I believe that music is essential for every student in some way, shape, or form. It’s not about being naturally talented or gifted or predisposed to music, it’s about the fact that it’s a form of expression, and without that, it’s easy to think very short term. What we do in here is like a big long-term project. Over the course of time, you learn patience, camaraderie, and social skills. The great thing about music is that it’s always about the process not about the product, but if the process is done correctly with hard work along the way, the product will also turn out well,” he reflected.
From the perspective of a student involved in the music programs, the holiday concert is a great opportunity to show their peers what they have been working hard on all year. Zach Travis, a senior French horn player involved in the brass ensemble, the wind ensemble, the pit orchestra for the musical, and the regular orchestra reflected on the experience.
“What I like the most is that it’s kind of like these two crazy little weeks of preparation before the concert that I’ve been in school until at least 8 o clock everyday. It’s great because I get to spend all this time with other members, and we have so much fun together making music together as a giant group. It’s really a unifying experience amongst a diverse group of students,” explained Travis.
All in all, the holiday concert is a great opportunity for North Penn’s renowned music groups to showcase their hard work and dedication. Stay tuned for more information on North Penn music!