Concerts presented by Orchestra Comprised mainly of Harding students with additional support from the academy, public school students and townspeople, the Orchestra worked hard to present a wide range of musical forms in several performances throughout the year. designed to appeal to both elementary and high school levels with selections ranging from the musical "My Fair Lady" to excerpts from Beethoven's symphonies. Besides activities with the Orchestra, several members of the organization formed smaller groups such as the two String Quartets. They performed along with other Orchestra members for the Homecoming musical, "1776." They also performed for the Junior Beethoven Club and the Black and Gold banquet in October. Members of the Stage Band along with performing in the Bison Band, acted as the back up orchestra during the annual Spring Sing in April. The group presented two major concerts during the year featuring selected talented student and faculty soloists. A major work performed at the December 5 concert was George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" with James Dickerson as piano soloist. Other performances included a concert tour of Arkansas during the spring semester and presentations for the academy. Each of the programs was r Orchestra conducting is one of the most exciting things I have ever done. The conducting technique is an art in itself in trying to evoke from your players many and varied moods, clean technique, good rhythm and phrasing through a multitude of gestures and conducting patterns. Conducting very much transcends the physical element in that one must know the music and the score. A conductor must have a tremendously good ear and must also be flexible in responding instantly to changes in the music as well as fluctuation in the temperament of the orchestra personnel. The orchestra repertoire that has proven itself provides some of the greatest enterntainment I can think of, and I am using the term entertainment in the highest idealistic form. It interrelates with the other arts, many times quite directly, in bridging the differences in the various art forms. The players learn a high degree of teamwork, just as a professional ball team, in working toward the common denominator of a great musical performance in which the printed note can truly come to life and very emotionally portray the musical and sometimes philosophical intent of the composer. - Travis Cox, conductor 262 - MUSIC GROUPS
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