Last school year, North Atlanta High School’s chorus attended the WorldStrides Heritage Festival in Orlando, Florida, while the orchestra traveled to New York City to perform at the renowned Carnegie Hall. From purchasing sheet music that helps students strengthen their sightreading skills to providing uniforms that allow every performer to walk on stage with confidence and pride, financial support plays a crucial role in both departments. The fundraiser concert took place on February 5th.
The successes of the chorus and orchestra are largely due to the countless hours of dedication and hard work put in by chorus teacher Tredarius Terry and orchestra director Stephen Lawrence. One of the students in the play was junior Gavin Searcy from the beginner chorus, who performed a solo in the song “Homeward Bound.” Searcy noted that “Mr. Terry focuses on the emotional aspects of a piece of music rather than simply making it sound good.”
Sophomore Jill Malkin, an alto in Advanced Bel Canto, shared a similar sentiment about the concert, believing it was a success and feeling proud of her progression since joining chorus in sixth grade. As someone currently performing in Mamma Mia!, she explained that rehearsals for both activities often overlap, which can make it difficult to keep up. Despite this, she remains determined to continue improving as a sight-reader and singer. “Making sure that everyone knew the material beforehand prepared us to give it our all,” she said.
On the orchestra side, junior Mariia Nedak, now in her fourth year and a member of the philharmonic, was part of the cello section and thrilled to participate in the concert. She is prideful that the performing arts programs were able to raise around $1,000 through the sale of $10 tickets. Reflecting on her journey, she said that all of her efforts, including practicing three times a week, led to this moment. “I hope there will be more events like this that continue to show the community all the hard work we put in,” she said.
From the opening notes to the final bow, one thing was clear: both the students and teachers gave the performance their all. As the lights brightened and the curtains closed, the audience left with more than just the memory of a concert. They left having witnessed the dedication, passion, and talent of a remarkable group of students who truly shone on stage.
