On Dec. 8, students and families gathered at the concert hall to watch Inglemoor’s annual winter concert. Over 175 students performed in the choirs, bands and orchestra. The symphony orchestra — part of the wind ensemble combined with both sinfonia and philharmonic orchestras — played three pieces, including the lyrical piece Orchid and the winter classic Sleigh Ride. As senior and philharmonic orchestra violinist Emily Rockwood (she/her) sat down to warm up, students bustled around the music building, preparing for their respective performances.
“I’m a little nervous before every concert … Just playing in front of people is nerve-wracking,” Rockwood said. “But I feel like as a group, we’ve really been practicing since our last concert so I feel like it should be a good performance even though we’re nervous.”
Freshman Danny Hughes (he/him), a symphonic band trumpet player, said he looked forward to the variety of songs that the teachers picked.
“[Toboggan Ride] is just kind of a goofy Christmassy kind of song,” Hughes said. “Mr. Wilson said it was like actually being in a sleigh going up and down, up and down, and the song and the notes and rhythms are really awesome.”
Choir teacher Zaldy Rogero (he/him) said he picks pieces from a variety of cultures and languages.
“Music teachers choose the music for their classes based on what music is going to provide growth opportunities for our students as well as stuff that’s going to be enjoyable to perform,” band director Charles Fix (he/him) said.
A senior at Central Washington University, student music teacher Brayden Swope (he/him) has spent the last months helping out and learning about teaching students in the music program.
“One of the biggest things that I’ve loved about being here is teaching the orchestra. I’ve never done that before. I’ve done a lot of band stuff, but I found a hidden passion for [it] that I’m really glad I found. Just in general, the students here, they’re so smart. They’re so happy and so positive. I just love working with them,” Swope said.
Swope said he initially found it difficult to prepare for the concert. As a student teacher, he worked with Fix and band teacher Bruce Wilson to plan lessons and help students overcome challenges. He said he’s thankful for the chance to mentor students at Inglemoor.
“They were already great players from the beginning, but just seeing them grow through all the marching band practices, all the rehearsals like the day-to-day stuff,” Swope said. “They just have become even more musical than they were from the beginning, which is really cool to see.”
As the year comes to an end, Rockwood said she is grateful for Swope’s contribution to the music department and his lasting impact on the students.
“He always brings up the mood and just makes you enjoy practicing,” Rockwood said. “So I feel like he’s really fun to work with, and I’d also like to say he’s just such an amazing player and just has the right thing to say, really insightful for all of our pieces.”
This concert was Swope’s last night teaching the band before returning to Central to finish his last semester.
“Be passionate about whatever you’re doing, and put your heart into it,” Swope said. “It drives me and I feel like that’s what drives people in life.”
