The McLean Band held its chamber music concert featuring ensembles from the Symphonic Band on Nov. 30th. The chamber program is geared towards showcasing high quality music to an audience that may or may not be familiar with the rich history of small ensemble music.

Chamber arrangements are forms of classical music traditionally intended for performance in a palace chamber with a smaller group of players. Requiring a different approach than symphonic works, chamber music takes on a “conversational” tone, in which sole instruments often introduce sounds and themes in response to each other.

“My favorite part about chamber is being able to be a soloist. I don’t have to blend into others on the same part, so I can be unique and have control over everything from my part,” senior clarinet player Reagan Lumme said. “Everyone has to support themselves because it’s so individual, but awesome when put together like pieces of a puzzle – even though it’s a four piece puzzle.”

Chamber musicians often rehearse twice throughout the week, in addition to traditional symphonic band obligations. Some of the pieces performed on Thursday were also previews of the program’s repertoire in preparation for the 2018 Music for All National Chamber Music Festival in Indianapolis.

Candidate ensembles for the prestigious National Chamber Music Festival must be critically evaluated by previous recordings and performances. The McLean High School Band received its acceptance based on a blind evaluation of its submitted performances in June 2017. This March, selected McLean chamber ensembles will once again be sharing the national spotlight with outstanding musical ensembles from across the country.

“Every four years the symphonic band goes to the national festival, and it’s a crazy good festival. This is the first time the chamber ensemble is going, and that brings even more prestige to the band. In Indy, we will get critiqued by amazingly qualified adjudicators that will help us further our music,” Lumme said.

If Thursday’s concert was any indication of the future direction of McLean’s young chamber ensembles, then audiences both at home and across the country can eagerly await the continued growth of the school’s award-winning band program and its outstanding musicianship.