Wind Symphony Students Perform Famous Movie Scenes and Christmas Classics

The Peters Township High School Wind Symphony performed, under the direction of music instructor Mr. Milt Barney, Tuesday evening in the high school auditorium. Students performed a wide variety of musical selections, ranging from a classical march to excerpts from modern movie scores for a large and lively audience.

The program opened with "Velocity," a vibrant piece that suits its name, by contemporary composer Robert Sheldon. Some of the concert's highlights included excerpts from composer John Williams' score of "Indiana Jones- Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," whose slow and eerie introduction crescendos into the boisterous recognizable melody identified with the film series. 

Another familiar movie piece the students performed was Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard's score for the modern-day Batman movie "The Dark Knight." Barney introduced this selection by noting that while the piece was adapted for wind band it was not necessarily made into a more easily-executed arrangement.

The wind symphony performed three marches, one of which was "Oxford Street," by contemporary composer and London native Eric Coates, conjures images of the bustling shopping district on the London street for which it's named.

Another was, "Galop," by contemporary Russian composer Dmitri Kabalevsky required a set change of sorts. Several of the symphony students carried two xylophones to split center stage for soloists Jeff Higgins and Richard MacKay, to be featured in this energetic, cartoon-like march.

Barney introduced the piece by reminiscing about having performed it himself as high school sophomore. Upon its conclusion, audience members applauded vigorously and voiced favorable "wooos," provoking grins on the students' faces.

Peters Township sophomore and Trinity High School transfer, Jeff Higgins joyfully remarked, "'Galop' was my favorite piece because I enjoy solo performances."

"I've always loved music but there was always something about percussion instruments that I prefer," he continued. 

Other program selections were Post-Romantic composer John Philip Sousa's "Riders for the Flag," an equestrian-type march in 6/8 time that evokes images of American amusement park merry-go-rounds.

The program concluded with a holiday medley entitled, "A Christmas Festival" by Leroy Anderson.  The piece included excerpts from Christmas favorites such as "Joy to the World," "Silent Night," "Jingle Bell," and "O Come All Ye Faithful." Audience members rose to give the students a standing ovation at the end of the program.

Barney, who is also in the process of earning his masters degree in music technology from Duquesne University, showed pride at his students' performance, congratulating them as they passed at the reception that followed the concert.

"What I hope they take with them from their experience here is teamwork, attention to details, blend and discipline," he remarked.

To read about Monday evening's PTHS String Orchestra winter concert click .