The McLean High School auditorium filled with families and students Thursday night for the annual Pyramid Concert. The concert featured the elementary honors band, Longfellow Middle School’s symphonic band and McLean High’s symphonic band, each performing independently to showcase a progression of musical skill across grade levels.
“They just get better and better as the years go on,” sophomore Samuel Zimmerman said. “They become more and more skilled.”
The night finished strong with McLean’s symphonic band performing three pieces: “The Damnation of Faust” by Hector Berlioz as well as, “Aegean Festival Overture” by Andreas Makris and “Of Our New Day Begun” by Omar Thomas. The final piece, composed to honor victims of the 2015 Charleston church shooting, drew a standing ovation from the audience.
“It was their greatest performance so far this year and last year that I have seen,” Zimmerman said. “The symphonic band is really, really amazing.”
Under the direction of band director Chris Weise, McLean symphonic band musicians spent months preparing for the concert through daily fourth period band classes and weekly two-hour after-school rehearsals.
“All this time and preparation just comes into putting on a great concert,” clarinet player Edward Stacy said. “Mr. Weise is a great band teacher. He knows exactly what he’s going to do during rehearsals, and he really showcases our abilities.”
The elementary honors band members were taught by the McLean symphonic band. High school students volunteered to teach younger musicians instrument techniques and prepare them for the performance.
“We have high school volunteers that do after-school rehearsal on Wednesday with the elementary band,” symphonic band member Tarek Elbehiry said. “They basically teach the elementary schoolers how to play the instrument.”
The concert highlighted the growth and experience that students gain as they progress through McLean’s music program.
“I think all of the groups sound pretty good,” Elbehiry said. “It is a great, exciting concert.”
The Pyramid Concert represents just one of the performances that McLean’s bands will do this year. The McLean band program will also compete in a nationwide competition during their spring trip to Chicago.
“Next week, we have a district band assessment on Friday and Saturday,” Elbehiry said. “Then, the spring trip is coming up to Chicago in a month or two. It’ll be the biggest trip where we play in a nationwide competition.”
