The Arts department had a wonderful way of concluding 2022 with multiple winter concerts throughout the month of December to showcase all the skills and collective work students have participated in. Harrison High School has a wonderful arts department which offers a variety of courses for all students. Additionally, opportunities like participating in two courses to fit the needs of multiple talents and interests. The school offers courses such as concept band, orchestra, chorus, dance, and a variety of visual arts classes. Furthermore, many extracurricular activities stem off of these encore classes and aid in the development of skill. Not to mention, they’re a lot of fun and a great place to make life-long friends. 

Twice a school year, the high school band and orchestra demonstrate their accomplishments at concerts open to all family and friends. December 20th the concert band and orchestra held their concert and showcased all of the admirable work they had accomplished over the past few months of the school year. Unfortunately, many upperclassmen had gotten ill and were not able to attend. Nevertheless, the rest of the ensemble pulled through and performed an extremely well executed collection of music. According to orchestra director Mr. Bastone, it took skills like understanding difficult time and key signatures and working on musicianship to perform to the level the ensemble did that night. These include Overture to Alcina by G.F. Handel, Allegretto from Symphony No. 5 by D. Shostakovich, and Merry-Go-Round of Life by J. Hisaishi. Four rows of the orchestra can be seen in deep concentration in the photograph taken by the yearbook photographer on the right. Similar to the orchestra, the band also experienced a shortage of upperclassmen, one being a vital percussionist. The band played to the best of their abilities and successfully attacked four pieces, each highlighting different skills that had been worked on in band since the beginning of the semester. Some had been in the works since the very first weeks of the school year, while others had been learned and adapted just a month prior to the night of the performance. The group played a lively piece by William Owens, featuring the band’s balance and trumpet section, Flourishes! Next, they performed Under a Winter Sky by Yukiko Nishimura to honor their balance and intonation skills. Lastly, Through the Storm, by JaRod Hall, and Seige, by Randall Standridge. Both these musical works featured the wonderful percussion section and sounded triumphant from the audience. 

On the left, another picture taken by the yearbook photographer during the band/orchestra concert highlights Mr. Bastone conducting the lively group of students. He claims he is most enthusiastic about the spring concert because the freshman and sophomore orchestra will get the opportunity to perform solo and without the accompaniment of the junior and senior orchestra, and vice versa.