BY CALEB GANTT, Sophomore
JANKI PATEL AND ANNELIESE M. GORDON, Juniors
BLYTHEWOOD-- Blythewood High School’s annual concert, Press Play, showcases the percussion and world music ensembles each spring.
“The Press Play concert was started in 2009 and actually named that year by members of the percussion studio and in trying to find a name for the concert to stick with came the idea of getting things started and how you have to press the play button,” director Jonathan Burbank commented.
Press Play, held every spring, is a concert which takes one to aspects of music from a world view featuring world renown instruments and entertainment from special guests and performances from other fine art departments.
“We have instruments literally from all around the world,” Burbank said. “And collaborating between the world music ensembles and the percussion ensemble there is a lot of design and collaboration that goes on throughout the process.”
With three weeks until the concert, preparations are in full swing.
“Everyday in class, during first and second, we play the pieces and go through a lot of stuff together which we like to refer to as rehearsal time so outside of class is when you practice so during class we can rehearse through dynamics and such,” junior Justin Harrison commented.
According to Burbank the students have been working on twelve to forteen pieces for the past three months and how individual students are preparing, it is nothing less than determination.
“A lot of times as long as I don’t have tutoring for other classes I usually come in here everyday during lunch and grind it out on whatever we’re working on or what needs the most work done,” junior Colin Smith added.
It was also stated by Smith the week of the concert there will be after school rehearsals starting at four, and ending at nine o’clock everyday.
“The students have been working really hard and now is the time to push them to get the next level and take ownership in the music, musicianship, and the quality of performance aswell,” Burbank added.
Junior Philip Myers adds his thoughts on the upcoming Press Play concert also.
“I’m looking forward to a lot of the audience getting excited over the percussion pieces and when African [ensemble] performs that people get even more excited because there is a lot of dancing and drums,” he stated.
Blythewood’s West African Drum and Dance ensemble is one of the groups being showcased at Press Play in collaboration with the percussion and world ensembles.
“We do rehearsals every Monday and so that is how we practice and then at the end of the concert there will be an African piece called Gahu,” Myers added.
With all the dedication, preparation and unique diverse atmosphere Blythewood’s Press Play Concert 2015 is one to be amazed at.
“The neat thing about the concert will be getting to play all the pieces back to back as a production and being able to put out a completely designed show,” Burbank commented.
