Longwood University's Music Department put together an impressive display of musicians on Tuesday night. Students from Prince Edward County’s High School Band, Fuqua School's Senior Band and the Longwood Wind Symphony all played their hearts out in Jarman Auditorium.
Each band played an impressive array of pieces, but Seth Taft, conductor for the Prince Edward High School Band, says that the “snowy weather that hit hard last week got in the way of the band's rehearsal process.”
Despite the obstacles that the Prince Edward High School Band faced, they gave a rousing performance. They played “The Imperial March,” a swelling piece that the students played with gusto. Next was “Gravity Wave,” and finally, “Courtly Airs and Dances.” A six part piece that took the audience around the globe from France to Germany.
The Prince Edward students were a tough act to follow, but the Fuqua School Senior Band did a phenomenal job as well. Starting with a patriotic piece by John Philip Souza, the students performed “Liberty Bell March.” Next up, the audience was transported to a different era as the band performed variations on "Scarborough Fair." The Fuqua musicians kept the audience on their toes by switching to the emotional piece entitled “And the Angels Called.”
The talented musicians of the Longwood Wind Symphony closed the night out by playing “National Emblem” and “Second Suite in F for Military Band,” which is an eclectic four part piece. Next, was “Danzon No. 2,” a challenging piece that has become somewhat famous on YouTube. The Symphony played the difficult piece with expertise, making it one of the most enjoyable moments of the night.
The whole performance culminated in a rousing round of the Longwood University Fight song being performed by the symphony while audience members happily sang along. It was a joyful performance that was enjoyed by all who attended.
