News Detail
Spring Ensembles Showcases Milken’s Talented Musicians
Fresh off their wildly successful run at the WorldStrides Onstage Heritage Festival, the Milken musical ensembles treated the audience to performances of their award-winning selections at the annual Spring Ensembles concert on Sunday, May 6. The concert is the culmination of the ensembles’ hard work throughout the year. The Jazz Lab Combo, Jazz Ensemble, Concert Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Combined Orchestra, Middle School Kol Echad, and Kol Echad all performed before a large crowd in the Margolis Theater. At the top of the evening, Caren Heller, performing arts department chair, recognized the award-winning groups for their accomplishments at the festival. The trophies and plaques were prominently displayed for all to see in the theater foyer.
Outstanding students were recognized for their leadership and commitment in their ensembles with individual Director’s Awards. Jamie Aftalion ’18 received the award for the Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combo, Brandon Pourmorady ’18 for Orchestra, Hannah Lande ’18 for Kol Echad, and Eden Sweet ’22 for Middle School Kol Echad.
"Receiving the Directors Award at the Spring Ensembles concert was such an honor,” said Sweet. “I feel so proud to be a part of such an amazing choir program. Being in Middle School Kol Echad has allowed me to express my love for music. I want to thank Mrs. Shapiro for all of her helpful guidance and support throughout the year."
The Jazz Lab Combo, directed by Ken Lasaine, opened the concert with performances of “Red Clay” by Freddie Hubbard, “Do It Again” by Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, and “Put it Where You Want It” by The Crusaders. The Jazz Ensemble’s repertoire included “Desafinado” by Tom Jobim, “Take The ‘A’ Train” by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, “Sister Sadie” by Horace Silver, and “Monk’s Dream” by Thelonious Monk. Cooper Davis ’21, Kyle Newman ’19, Elijah Pressman ’21, Aiden Tepper ’19, Aaron Saliman ’18, and Sara Stolzenberg-Myers ’18 were featured soloists.
The Concert Orchestra, under the direction of David Brown, played “Mambo,” and “Buglers Dream and Olympic Fanfare.” The Chamber Orchestra, also directed by Brown, presented a creative take on “Take on Me” by a-ha with nontraditional instruments such as computer keyboards and plastic sound tubes. Their other selections were “Piano Concerto No. 4, Second Movement” by Ludwig van Beethoven and “Music from La La Land” by Justin Hurwitz. Ethan Shenassa ’20, who won a Heritage Festival Maestro award, was a violin soloist, and Brandon Pourmorady ’18 played a piano solo in “Piano Concerto No. 4.” The Combined Orchestras presented a rendition of “In My Life” by John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
The Middle School Kol Echad, directed by Sarah Shapiro ’02, serenaded the audience with “Ha Shalom” by Greg Gilpin, “Go the Distance”— Music by Alan Menken, Lyrics by David Zippel, arranged by Ed Lojeski,“For Good” — Music and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, arranged by Roger Emerson. The featured soloists were Mia Elkins ’22, Ethan Hoffman ’22, and Eden Sweet ’22.
The Kol Echad wrapped up the evening with “Hard Times Come Again No More” by Stephen Foster, arranged by Mark Keller, “Besame Mucho” — Music and Lyrics by Consuelo Velazquez, arranged by Kirby Shaw, with featured soloist Megan Larian ’19; “One Voice” by Barry Manilow, arranged by Kirby Shaw, soloists: Aviva Miller ’20, Megan Larian’19, Eliyah Stern ’21; “Uf Gozal” — Music by Shlomo Artzi and Gidi Gov, Lyrics by Arik Einshtein, arranged by Daniel Henkin, soloists: Hannah Lande ’18, and Alex Sabo’18, Clarissa Brock ’18.
It was a delightful evening of music and song as the ensembles presented an impressive and entertaining repertoire of works.
No comments have been posted
At Milken Community School, we think education is more than what you know. Our School, founded on Jewish values, is about who our children can become and how they can help others become who they might be. Because the world our children will create tomorrow is born in the School we build today, our mission is to educate our children so they can surpass us.
Non-discrimination Policy: Milken Community School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, financial aid, athletic, and other school-administered programs.
Saperstein Middle School Campus
Upper School Campus
Copyright © 2024 Milken Community School