Spring Instrumental Concert

by Annabelle Smith

While it was not the last performance of the year, the instrumentalist spring concert on Tuesday, May 24th was filled with excellent music, celebrations, and plenty of tears.

The night began with the guitar ensemble, led by Caleb Bachtell. Their two selections, “Wayang Style” by Annette Kruisbrink and “Habanera Boheme” by Thierry Tisserand, included moving melodies, beautiful chords, and wonderful performances by all of the guitarists. For the three seniors, the two selections were their last performances with the BISFA guitar ensemble, and their love for their music and their peers was clear to everyone in the audience.

Next, the string orchestra performed “Adagio” by Samul Barber/Hoffman with a guitar setting by Mr. Hollin, “Sea Songs” by Ralph Vaughan Williams/Longfields, and “An American in Paris” by George Gershwin/Brubaker. Kevin Mitchell led the group as concertmaster, alongside three other graduating seniors from the string orchestra.

After a brief intermission, the wind band took the stage. Their pieces, “Ignition” by Todd Stalker, “Music from ‘The Incredibles’” by Michael Gioccino/Bocook, and “The Gladiator” by John Philip Sousa. The pieces included everything from cheerful passages to themes from the iconic Pixar movie. This ensemble group included three seniors, but for all of our graduating instrumentalists, this was not their last performance of the night.

The lights in the theater went down, and Mr. Hollin and Mr. Benford played a slideshow of all of their graduates, from baby photos to senior pictures. The slides were met with many “awe”’s and chuckles from the audience as we watched a mini version of Jake Milburn in a toilet and a tiny Connor Caldwell decked out in a Spiderman costume. The audience, as well as the rest of the instrumentalists, got the joy of watching the seniors grow up through the photos.

Musicians from both the wind band and the string orchestra gathered to form the symphony orchestra. Their first piece, “Kyiv, 2022” by Brian Balmages, is based on piece “Moscow, 1941,” written after the Nazi invasion of Russia. Now, layered beneath the Ukrainian national anthem and folk songs, the themes from “Moscow, 1941” return as the aggressor as a representation of the war across the sea. As Mr. Hollin explained, pieces like this are incredibly important, as they serve to represent not only our history, but the emotions that can only be preserved through music.

Next, the orchestra played “Crunchtime,” composed by our very own graduating junior, Alek Effland. Unlike many students who go through the instrumental department, Alek is interested in composing his own music. Mr. Hollin connected him with a former student and Julliard alumni, who met with Alek to study composing. The result was “Crunchtime,” a three-minute piece written in Alek’s democratic style, where all notes are given equal attention. When asked about the title, he explained to Mr. Hollin that there were two elements: first, the crunchy quality of the notes, and second, the two week deadline to compose the piece.

The orchestra then played “Armed Forces Salute” by Bob Lowden, which featured the anthems from each branch of the military. Finally, the symphony orchestra played “Morning, Noon and Night in Vienna” by Franz von Suppé, which many may have recognized from morning cartoons. This piece has always been a favorite of Mr. Hollin’s, and the audience could feel both his and the performers’ excitement. “At age 65, I tell ya,” Mr. Hollin said, “I pick music I like.”

Then, the stage was cleared except for this year’s graduates, Mr. Hollin, and Mr. Benford. They took a moment to celebrate the graduates’ accomplishments, proudest moments, and futures beyond BISFA. Each of them received a framed letter from Mr. Hollin to keep his words with them always.

The seniors, too, had gifts for Mr. Hollin and Mr. Benford. First, they presented Mr. Hollin with the money they raised for the William Hollin Fund, which will go to helping students afford private lessons. Each teacher received a framed poster from the senior recitals, signed by all of the graduates, and finally, Mrs. Hollin was gifted a bouquet of flowers for all her hard work and her support for the department.

To end the night, the seniors sat on stage together to play their final piece. Arranged by Jake Millburn, the ten graduates played “Adagio Cantabile” from “Sonata Pathétique” by Beethoven. The music was beautiful, but what was even more captivating was the love each performer had for their music and each other. It was truly incredible to see how much of a family they are both on and off the stage. Even though the performance is over, the memory of their truly moving performance will certainly stay with the audience and each musician for years to come.

Congratulations to all of the musicians, and a special round of applause for the graduating instrumentalists for the class of 2022!