The kids and I just returned from the awesome AMIS International Honor Orchestra and Band festival hosted at the American School of Doha, Qatar. Our students comprised fully 15.5% of the global festival participant base, sitting in some of the most competitive position such as section leaders in Violin, Cello and Bass as well as piccolo (a Herculean task). Watching our students grow, respond, and learn from the masterful tutelage of our guest conductors Scott Teeple and Natalia Luis-Bassa was invigorating.
The festival band sang beautifully through their instruments. Their opener, the Overture to Candide is a demanding piece for any ensemble, let alone one formed merely 3 days ago. Kudos to our strong student players and the tutelage of Eric Majors.
The festival orchestra left me awe-struck. Natalia Luis-Bassa was masterful in her molding of the orchestra’s sensational repertoire, particularly, Danzon No. 2 by Marquez towards the end of the concert. Our students danced throughout rehearsal, leading other schools’ students in complexities and evocation of the mature details of the score. I can’t help but be filled with pride for them.
Please enjoy the entire concert video below, and please help me congratulate the orchestra and band students not only on their musical achievements, but also on their display of maturity and sophistication among their international peers.
Full KIS student representation at 1:57:30
AMIS HONOR BAND
Overture to Candide – Leondard Bernstein/Grundman
Benediction – John Stevens
Country Gardens – Percy Grainger
Down Longford Way – Percy Grainger
Second Suite in F – Gustav Holst/Matthews
AMIS HONOR ORCHESTRA
Andante Festivo – Jean Sibelius
Libertango – Astor Piazzola
Romanian Folk Dances – Bela Bartok
St. Pauls Suite – Gustav Holst
AMIS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Danzón No. 2 Arturo Márquez