Park Orchestra’s latest autumn-themed POPs concert on Nov. 18 was long-awaited after being postponed just before Halloween due to school power outages. After two weeks, the antsy musicians got to shine on stage and showcase their growth throughout the school year thus far.
Director Kou Lee said he selected the music for the Fall POP concert understanding students’ challenges after a long summer break. He said he used a thoughtful approach, including engaging and manageable pieces for the students to return to.
“I pick the songs based on the level since when we get back from summer break, it takes a bit to get in the swing of things,” Lee said. “I choose the songs based on what they will enjoy playing and easy to learn faster than other pieces we play later in the year.”
Freshman cellist Teraysa Rombalski said this concert represents the beginning of her musical journey at Park, playing for the first time with the whole group.
“This concert marks the start of my Park music career. It’s my welcome to this program,” Rombalski said. “I’m very excited to see how I can grow and watch my building of skills with the director and the rest of the Park orchestra.”
Sophomore violinist Tenzin Pedon said her favorite part of concerts is recognizing growth in the whole group and herself leading up to the Fall POPs concert. She also said watching the other class periods has been a fun aspect.
“I moved from a second violin to a first, which is much harder to play, and I’ve learned new techniques from others on how to play my instrument, which helps me learn and have fun. Before, we could barely get through the piece, but tonight we finished together, and we’re stronger as a whole group,” Pedon said. “It’s really fun to see how the other musicians and class periods are doing because we never get to play together outside of the concerts like this one.”
Lee said daily practice and personalized support ensures students are ready to shine on stage. He said preparing for a concert takes more than just rehearsing pieces; it’s about building skills and fostering growth along the way.
“We do drills and practices each day in class to prepare them for the concerts and just to improve their skills every day,” Lee said. “I will also check in with them to make sure they are caught up with the music.”
According to Rombalski, it was hard to wait to perform with her classmates. She said it was special because they finally got to perform the songs that everyone had been preparing to showcase to their families.
“This concert was postponed, and we were originally going to have it in October. I’m very happy we get to have it now and show what we’ve been working on for a long time this school year,” Rombalski said. “We played really well together as a group.”
Pedon said she loves having POPs concerts throughout the year, especially the fall concert. She said she likes the theme of the music and the fun elements that the orchestra ties in, such as wearing fun costumes.
“These (concerts) are so much more fun than normal concerts because we get to wear costumes and play pieces that we all are familiar with and the audience can recognize while we play,” Pedon said.
