Article by Phoenix writer Allison Cortese ’26:
Friends and family gathered on April 25 and 26 to see Kellenberg’s fine arts programs performing in the spring student concerts. Members of the bands, orchestras, and choruses displayed their talents through the pieces they had been working on all spring.
On April 25, the Firebird band, orchestra, and chorus took the stage. The orchestra opened with a lighthearted, uplifting “Forever Joyful” by Brian Balmages. The group then geared into the popular tune “Yesterday” by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, with Robert Longfield as the instrumental composer. Another arrangement of Longfield’s, titled “Turning Point,” completed the orchestra’s performance.
Following the orchestra’s selection of “Yesterday,” the Firebird Chorus performed the song “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles. Sophomore Olivia Iorio, a member of the Firebird Chorus, commented, “My favorite song from the spring concert was ‘Here Comes the Sun’ because it’s bright and fun and gives you hope. When things are difficult, the song can be used as a reminder that the sun will come out and everything will be all right.” This hopeful reminder surely was displayed to the audience, keeping everyone happy and lively. The group then steered into “The Storm is Passing Over” by Charles A. Tindley. This piece was full of beautiful harmonies that highlighted the talent of the group.
Last, but not least, was the band. “The Wings of Mercury” by William Owens gave a dynamic start to their performance with its musical adaptation of Roman mythology. The lively “Sunchaser” was up next. The mood of the piece called on the audience to follow their dreams as a pilot heading West follows the sun. The band gave a powerful conclusion to their portion of the night with Brian Balmages’ “Emblazoned.” For the finale, all three Firebird ensembles came together for a marvelous rendition of “Battle Hymn of the Republic.”
The next day, members of the Phoenix band, orchestra, and chorus took the stage. The Phoenix Orchestra opened up the night with “Concerto Grosso Prelude” by Ernest Bloch. This piece can be considered grand and inspiring. They transitioned into “Libertango” by Astor Piazzolla, arranged by James Kazik. The next piece was “Pure Imagination,” which was arranged by Johnathan Allentoff. This is a popular piece famous for its appearance in the movie Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. The next selection was the upbeat song “Fiddler’s Fury” by Alexander Safford. Lastly, the group performed the popular rock piece “Walk this Way” by Aerosmith, arranged by Larry Moore. Senior Andrew Miglino and Junior Amaya Cigliano geared away from their traditional orchestral instruments to amplify the show. Andrew displayed his talent on the electric guitar, while Amaya shined on the drums. These students’ outside-the-box performances uplifted the crowd.
The Phoenix Chorus began their portion of the night with a pop song selection of “Pompeii” by Bastille. They then steered into a popular worship song“Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho.” This great piece was sung beautifully by the many voices in the Phoenix Chorus. The unusual rendition of the nursery rhyme “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” titled “Lambscapes,” charmed the audience.
The Phoenix Band came last with yet another selection by Brian Balmages, called “Reverberations.” This piece allows all instruments to be heard through echoing sounds. The group finished with “Hans Zimmer: Movie Milestones.” The music was written by Hans Zimmer and was arranged by Michael Brown. This piece is a dynamic selection, with a range of intensifying sounds.
This Spring Concert was such a success thanks to the hard work of Mr. Vegas, Mr. Garcia, Miss D’Argenio, and all involved students. The program will continue to prosper into the next school year as they say goodbye to the seniors who performed their last concert at Kellenberg.
