dec182001cct

Published Tuesday, December 18, 2001

Skyline Holiday Concert a gift for the ears
By B. Roscoe
STAFF WRITER
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A seasonal tradition is once again upon us, with the Skyline High School Holiday Concert set for 7:30 p.m. on Thursday in the school's auditorium.

The concert will feature nearly 150 students in a range of musical styles and abilities. Classes performing will include the jazz combo, orchestra, Skyline's advanced choir Voices of the Sky, the advanced band, beginning choir and jazz band.

"It's really a wide variety of music being presented," said Skyline instrumental music instructor Ted Allen. "We're having everything from our beginning groups to our advanced in this concert."

Though students are not graded specifically on their performances, said Allen, "A big part of their grade is participating in the concert." Gauging by the enrollment trend in the music department, that requirement is not as daunting as it might sound. In general, said Allen, more students are signing up for instrumental classes than in the past.

Vocal music instructor Everett Baines agreed. "All my choirs have grown in the past five years," he said.

Another part of the trend, Allen said, is that the students are more accomplished. That allows Allen and Baines to design a holiday concert featuring some fairly sophisticated music. When deciding on what pieces to include, Allen said that much of it depends on the ability of the students in the classes that year. "And how far you want to push your students," added Baines.

They've programmed two pieces by J.S. Bach. The first, called "Sleepers Wake," will be immediately followed by Voices of the Sky (VOS) singing a different piece from the same cantata called "Sheep May Safely Graze." But the most challenging pieces for the advanced groups include "How Fair Is Thy Face," by Grieg, sung by VOS and the jazz band playing an Ellington piece called "Harlem Airshaft."

Christen Scott, a senior in VOS, said the most challenging part involved in singing the Grieg piece is the end. "It's kind of intense because if one part is flat, it's hard to get back on track," he said. "We really have to concentrate on (the end)."

The difficulty of the piece doesn't seem to intimidate 12th-grade soloist Erik Proctor. Though he admits he didn't like the piece at first, Proctor said Baines convinced the choir of the work's charm. "In the two years I've been doing this, we've done some good songs, but this one is just beautiful," said Proctor.

When asked which piece was his favorite to sing, Scott said he liked them all. After another thought he added that the more modern "Jingle Bells" arrangement they will be performing on Thursday is his least favorite. "I like the traditional one better. I'm a traditionalist," said Scott.

Those whose opinions align with Scott's will most likely appreciate the first half of the program on Thursday. It features works that tend toward the more classical side of the musical spectrum. The second half includes more popular and contemporary works. But the goal of the Allen's and Baine's program design is to appeal to a broad audience. "There'll be something there for everyone," said Baines.

Tickets are $5 at the door. Skyline High School is located at 12250 Skyline Blvd. in Oakland.