One Nation

So, Drew and I had a concert for the last two nights, and it was really neat.  What you see above is a copy of the poster advertising the show.  It was cool because we were able to perform with an amazing cast of singers, including J. Michael Bailey, who played Jean Valjean at the Shakespeare Festival, and then Rodrick Covington, who was recently in the Broadway musical The Lion King.  We got to accompany these guys and others as they sang, and we had multimedia presentations displayed on big screens on either side of the stage.  It was neat to be able to be a part of this world premiere!

To answer your inevitable question, yes, it was a world premiere.  The Lyceum Philharmonic commissioned this piece of music specifically for our orchestra, and this is the music that we will be playing on tour.  Yeah, Drew and I get to go on tour in the spring.  It will be so much fun!!!!!  

It is also nice, because in this orchestra, Drew and I each have friends.  Drew has a really close friend who plays the trombone, and I am good friends with 3 other first violinists.  (I love being a 1st violin.  I'm right on the edge of the stage, and you can actually see me! :).  

As you have probably guessed, One Nation was about the civil war.  The cast portrayed fictional people and how their stories related to the war.  The stories were based on true ones, of course!

While we are on tour, Drew and I get to perform this work in Las Vegas at the Smith Center, the Mesa Arts Center in Mesa, Arizona, and our last stop will be the Tuacahn Ampitheatre in St. George.  How many youth school orchestras get to perform at the Tuacahn??!!  

I am so blessed to be able to be in this orchestra, and to have the neat opportunities that I do!  I also realize that I have to thank my parents for this.  11 years of driving me to music lessons and paying for music lessons.  Thanks mom and dad!  I love you!

Anne :)