Newtown’s String Musicians Take The Stage

By Larissa Lytwyn

In a unique homage to Newtown schools’ orchestra program, Newtown schools presented a districtwide strings concert at Newtown High School on April 12.

The evening commenced with a performance of by every string player in grades 5 through 12 before featuring selections played by each of the public school system’s six orchestras.

“This is an evening to celebrate music and the very special talent of playing a stringed instrument,” said music director Michelle Hiscavich, adding that playing a string instrument was intrinsically challenging.

The event, she continued, was a very “special” one, happening only once every three or four years.

“The last time we had this kind of districtwide event, we had 200 participants,” she told the audience shortly before the concert began. “Tonight we have 400 strong.”

The goal of the program, she continued, was to “encourage the string players to continue on their instrument.”

“It gives both students and parents the opportunity to hear their accomplishments at each grade level as well as see and hear the future of their playing career,” she said.

She thanked Newtown’s Friends of Music program for connecting students with professional musicians from ensembles including the Pacifica String Quartet, Cavani String Quartet, and Amadeus Trio, among many others.

At the high school level, strings players have performed with area symphonies and competed in regional music festivals.

They have also traveled from New York City to Europe to perform at venues including Lincoln Center and St Patrick’s Cathedral.

During spring vacation, April 19–23, the Newtown High School orchestra will “walk in the steps of great composers including Mozart” in Austria, said Ms Hiscavich.

She thanked parents for their continuing support and contributions that made such opportunities available.

Ms Hiscavich then briefly expressed regret over the loss of the fourth grade orchestra due to “budget difficulties,” she said, last spring.

Further, she said, “we had hoped to get [fourth grade orchestra] in for this year but it wasn’t included.”

She encouraged parents to attend public hearings on the current budget to express their support for the schools’ music program.

Most vital, she said, was voting on the budget on April 27. “Please, please, get out and vote!” she urged.

Reed Intermediate School orchestra teacher Jill Marak then led the fifth grade orchestra into “Rigadoon,” by H. Purcell and R.S. Frost.

The fifth grade orchestra also performed two Ukrainian folk songs, “Soldier’s March” and “Kolomeka,” under the direction of orchestra teacher Mardi Smith.

The sixth grade orchestra performed “St Anthony Chorale” by Hayden and Dackow and “Rite at Stonehenge,” by E. Del Borgo.

Newtown Middle School’s seventh grade orchestra, under the direction of orchestra teacher Keith Hedin, performed “Fanfare for Strings” by Gazda and “El Toro” by Brubaker.

The eighth grade orchestra played Mozart’s “Sonata No. 4” and Alshin’s “Danny Boy.”

The Newtown High School string ensemble, under the direction of Ms Hiscavich, performed Mozart’s “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik.”

The school’s symphony orchestra played Ensesco’s “Roumanian Rhapsody No. 2.”

The evening concluded with a combined orchestral performance of selections from Lord of the Rings, composed by H. Shore and B. Cerulli.