McLean Grimes
Staff Writer
Costa’s bands held a Washington, D.C., send-off concert on March 25 in the auditorium.
The band was invited to perform in the 2022 President’s Cup from April 19-23 and competed against different bands from across the U.S. Each song the bands performed at the send-off concert was also played at the competition in Washington, D.C.
“It’s been a bit hectic, but the entire [band] program, especially [Joel] Carlson, has done a really great job of handling the situation and getting everything under control before the concert,” said sophomore and trumpet player Nia Nguyen. “It isn’t easy, but normal concerts usually aren’t either. It’s one of our first big events in years, so it was a lot to take in, but I think we’ve done well with what we have.”
Costa’s Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble started the concert by playing “Midwest Scenes,” a song that the President’s Cup Competition requires all participating bands to perform. They ended with “The Washington Post” and “Armenian Dances, Set 1.”
“I think the band performed greatly, and overall the concert was a success,” said sophomore and saxophone player Nate Colligan. “I am very excited for D.C.; I think it will be a very fun experience.”
The Wind Symphony played “Escapade,” “Midwest Scenes,” and “The Circus Bee.” The songs the bands performed centered around patriotic themes, in accordance with the patriotic decorations in the auditorium and similar themes on display at the competition.
“I definitely enjoy the songs we are playing, especially the ‘Midwest Scenes’ song because it includes recognizable American music like ‘America the Beautiful,’” said sophomore and clarinet player Lauren Chao. “Our ‘Washington Post’ song is also really enjoyable because it’s upbeat and fun to listen to.”
A video was played after the Wind Symphony performed to explain the history of the U.S. Army band, the group that hosts the President’s Cup. The U.S. Army Band is the official band of the U.S. and plays at several events including Presidential inaugurations and the Olympics.
“I’m really excited for D.C.,” said Nguyen. “Spending a week with my friends, exploring new places, and playing for such an esteemed festival should be really fun. I’m looking forward to it.”
The Jazz Band ended the concert by playing “Stars and Stripes Forever,” “Time of the End,” “Over the Rainbow,” and “Samba Del Gringo.” When the performance came to a close, the audience was encouraged to take photos by the photo wall in the entrance of the auditorium.
“I think with a bit more work and dedication, we would be on the path to a great performance in D.C., and we are so close to sounding our best with everyone’s contribution to the repertoire already,” senior and saxophone player Max Simpson said.
Costa was supposed to perform in Washington, D.C., two years ago, but the band wasn’t able to attend because of COVID-19 restrictions in place at the time.
“I feel so happy that we finally get to go [to Washington, D.C.]. It was such a bummer that it got canceled, and the fact that it’s finally here makes me feel very excited,” Simpson said.
Leave a Reply