In May, Wellesley High School’s musical ensembles showcased their talents with two unforgettable performances: the Spring Band concert on the 14th and the Spring Orchestra concert on the 22nd. These concerts were not just events; they were the culmination of months of hard work, dedication, and musical passion by the students and their teachers Mr. Steven Scott, conductor of the band, and Dr. Sergey Khanukaev, conductor of the orchestra.
The Spring Band concert featured two exceptional groups: the Concert Band and the Wind Ensemble. Each ensemble brought its unique flair and showcased a diverse selection of music.
The concert band began their program with Inspiration Fanfare by Adrian Sims, followed by
Elton John’s Circle of Life, Crusade by Vince Gassi, and, finally,with Journey’s rock tune Anyway You Want It. Their performance also included the piece Gabriel’s Oboe from the 1994 motion play “The Mission” and featured Ellen Kim ’26 on the flute.
Meanwhile, the Wind Ensemble mesmerized the audience with their renditions of pieces such as Gum Suckers March by Percy Aldridge Grainger and Mouvement Frentique by Jonathan Dagenais, pieces that they performed outstandingly at the Massachusetts Instrumental Choral and Conductors Association (MICCA) Festival as well.
“Again, the set of music that they put on there was very challenging. They just performed with such poise and such musicality. This is a very fun group to conduct, and a very fun group to work with in class. [They are] very motivated, very smart, very very musical, and they bring a lot of emotional maturity to their performance. I was very proud of them,” said Scott.
The Spring Orchestra concert was equally captivating, featuring the Symphonia and the Chamber Orchestras. The Symphonia Orchestra showcased a variety of arrangements of pieces including movements from Johann Christian Bach’s Symphony in D major, Peter Warlock’s Capriole Suites, and Bella Bartok’s Romanian Folk Dances.
At the same time, the Chamber Orchestra featured senior soloists. Liam Prentice ’24, concertmaster of the Chamber Orchestra soloed, playing Beethoven’s Romance for Violin and Orchestra in F major, while cellist Johnathan Liu ’24 played Joseph Haydn’s Concerto in E major.
When it comes to selecting the program, Khanukaev shows how he incorporates student voice.
“I discuss [the program] with the students. I trust them, and I respect their opinions… I always take into account what they want, what they prefer, or how they envision it. For example, the order of music and the program for the actual concert,” said Khanukaev.
The impact of months of hard work and collaboration has also encouraged students to develop a profound appreciation for their craft. David Ip ’24, a cellist in the orchestra offered insight into working with Khanukaev.
“Working with Dr. K is demanding, but he has a lot of expectations of us. It’s a good environment to foster talent, and we all cherish our instruments and music in general,” said Ip.
As another successful musical season comes to a close, the high school’s band and orchestra will continue to hold a special place in the hearts of students and teachers, inspiring them and others to pursue their love for music.