NH’s band and orchestra will have their annual winter concert Tuesday, Dec. 19, in the auditorium at 7 pm. This year’s winter concert will feature 63 band students and 39 orchestra students with a possibility of past alumni returning to play “Sleigh Ride” alongside present day members 

     Band teacher Mr. John Wojciechowski stated, “This year, I tried to pick a different variety of music, but also while staying with the winter concert theme; this includes the song “Sleigh Ride” that we play every year, but this year, there is going to be a fun little twist.” 

     Wojciechowski continued, “The plan is to use “Sleigh Ride” for the band, and another song for orchestra, [but] we haven’t fully decided which one for orchestra yet. We are going to invite alumni to come back and sing and play with us, creating a little interactive piece.”

     Junior Harley Weisman has been playing the French horn for about a year and a half. Weisman stated, “I’m pretty excited about the alumni possibly making a return. I think it’s going to be really fun and a good way to get new people to meet people that graduated, so if [band students] have questions on what it ‘s like, they can ask them.”

     Senior Peter Lein has been playing percussion since fourth grade. Lien stated, “It’s going to be really fun. We did “Sleigh Ride” last year, so it’s going to be very fun to be able to play with the alumni; plus, it’s overall a very fun song to play, and to have people we haven’t seen in a while is going to be super sick.”

     While getting ready for a performance, the students do many different things. Junior Arie Howell has been playing percussion for three years. According to Howell, “To prepare for a performance, I usually warm up with the band, then I do some stretching so my arms don’t cramp up.” 

     Junior Jonathan Sappington also plays percussion, and has been playing since fourth grade. Sappington stated, “For getting ready for a performance, we usually do some basic warm-ups, and then we will practice the most difficult piece we are doing a couple of times, and then the one we are the least familiar with.”  

     Lien stated, “To get ready for a performance I honestly just like to hang out with friends of mine that are also performing with me, just to kind of have everyone have a chill calm environment, so not any of us are freaking out before we go on stage.”

     For others, this is their first year performing. Freshman Daniel Wood has been playing the euphonium for about six years. Wood stated, “I’m a little excited for the concert, but it’s kind of a lot of pressure definitely being in my first year of high school and being around people who have been playing a lot longer than I have. So, I kind of have to live up to what they have been doing.”