After performing in numerous concerts, fundraising for their European trip, participating in the Music Gala, and performing in London and Paris, orchestra students are winding down the school year with one last concert.

The last orchestra concert which is to feature a senior recognition ceremony will take place at 7 p.m. May 27 in the auditorium.

Orchestra director Miriam Edgar said the orchestra is well prepared for its concert given that they are to play a wide variety of difficult pieces.

“I’ve picked more challenging music and we have also rehearsed a lot of music from chamber orchestra and the London-Paris trip,” Edgar said. “They are sounding awesome.”

Featured in this concert, is an abstract piece called “Enchanted Garden” by Maurice Ravel which Edgar said professionals including director and composer Colin Touchin at the Royal College of Music in London and assistant professor Doug Diamond at Augsburg College helped students learn.

“It’s a hard piece to learn but we have worked on it with professors,” she said. “Slowly, students have learned to like the piece and phrase it well.”

Overall, Edgar said that this year was very successful for the orchestra.

“It has been a really amazing year,” she said. “We have a nice orchestra family that we took across the world and got to work at the Royal College of Music.”

Edgar said that the next plans will be organizing the next orchestra trip, however, she also said she aims to devote less time to performing and more to improving students’ musical skill.

“I am very thankful all these performances have worked out, but next year I want to bring up everyone’s level and focus on our skill as an ensemble,” she said.

In regard to the recognition ceremony, Edgar said because this is the first class of students that she taught for all high school years, it will be hard for her to say her farewells.

“I’ve got to know them well. The seniors have been great leaders and passed their skills on to the younger students,” Edgar said.

Senior orchestra student Sophie Macklem-Johnson said that with her last year in orchestra coming to end, it is hard for her to let it go.

“It’s hard to believe that after so many concerts that this is the last one,” she said. “Orchestra has been such a big part of my life during high school, and it has been amazing to watch the program grow so much.”