The saxophones and trombones, flutes and percussion sit on different sides of the semi-circle. The instruments contrast each other, making a deep brass sound or a fluid woodwind sound.
But when the conductor stands in front of his orchestra, the whole world of differences fall away to make one harmonious sound that delights the audience.
On Tuesday night, nearly 200 band students of Mahomet-Seymour High School brought their family and friends together as they showcased months of hard work.
“This is our first High School concert of the year,” Band Director Michael Stevens said. “When marching band finishes at the beginning of November, we switch over to concert band.”
Senior Lauren Gilonske said that it’s not just the day-to-day work of class time that gets students ready to perform. It’s also the pep talk Stevens gives to the band before the performance.
“It helps us get in ‘game mode,’ ” she said.
Tuesday’s hour-long concert featured Mahomet-Seymour’s concert and symphonic bands alongside the esteemed wind ensemble.
Performing Robert Sheldon’s “Spontaneous Combustion,” “With Every Sunrise,” and “Charleston Harbor Celebration,” the symphonic band spent the first 20 minutes of the performance saluting composer Sheldon, who is a friend of Stevens.
The smallest of the three bands, the concert band, which is composed of students who meet two or three times a week because they are also in chorus, performed “Shenandoah” and “Critical Mass.”
Junior Jacob Norton said it is often difficult to put music together in concert band because of the people who come and go.
“I think we (did) well tonight, we’ve had plenty of time to work through our music,” he said.
Being part of the Mahomet-Seymour music tradition isn’t always about the love of music, though. Many times through the love of music, students also develop lifelong friends. Norton said many of his friendships have developed through his seven years of band membership.
Gilonske said, “Basically, all of my best friends have been found, or made stronger through band. In band, you create such a special, unbreakable bond.”
“You spend a lot of time with these people and that results in friendships that are very strong and last a long time,” junior Kate Dallmier added.
Dallmier, who is in her second year playing saxophone in the wind ensemble, said those close relationships often lead to a better product.
“I really enjoy wind ensemble because of the people in the class, and everyone takes it seriously, so we are really able to get into the piece,” she said. “This also results in us being able to push each other to get better, so we are able to grow a lot in our skill and musicality.”
The “small” wind ensemble performed “Handel in the Strand” before being joined by additional wind ensemble members to perform “The Fate of the Gods” and “Russian Christmas Music.”
“Stevens is also very good at getting us to understand the music, instead of playing just the notes and rhythms,” Dallmier said.
“Music is all about two things,” Stevens said, “the journey and the performance. We work very hard in rehearsal to develop life-long lovers of the arts. We talk in class more than about just the notes and rhythms and try to create a positive aesthetic experience.”
Gilonske, who will finish out her time in band and at Mahomet-Seymour in May, said that she is thankful for the opportunity to bring together her parents and the rest of the community to hear the music the bands have worked on over the winter months.
The Mahomet-Seymour bands will perform one last time in May at the annual “Pops” concert. This concert features all Mahomet-Seymour Junior High and high school bands.
