On the evening of December 12, the Cherry Hill West Music Department held their winter instrumental concert. It was a night full of good music and the successful result of months of preparation. All of the ensembles had been working hard since early September, through practicing in class, after school, and during lunch breaks. I had the opportunity to speak to one member of each ensemble along with the director, Mr. Ryan Sagedy, about their hard work, preparation, and experience playing for West on the stage.
When speaking with Mr. Sagedy before the concert, he explained that this is “the first concert we’ve had with a slightly bigger program,” and because of that, he was really looking forward to the combined piece at the end of the night containing the whole instrumental department. He hopes that the growth of the department continues in future years.
First up on the stage for the night was Lab Band. They played three pieces – “Blues by Five,” “Big Swing Face,” and “Fudge Said the Judge.” I had the chance to speak with one of the soloists for the band, Christina Zorn (‘26), who plays alto saxophone. For those who are unfamiliar with Lab Band and what they do, Zorn would describe it as an ensemble that plays a diverse spread of music, including, but not limited to, jazz, swing, funk, blues, and ballads. Her experience in Lab Band has been nothing short of worthwhile; she describes Lab Band as a place where everyone is friends with one another and is an experience that “affects your future in a positive way.” Zorn’s favorite piece played at the concert was their final piece, “Fudge Says The Judge,” because of the funky rhythms and how easy it is to vibe to.
Following Lab Band was String Ensemble and Orchestra. As a member of both these groups myself, I was glad to have the opportunity to speak to senior Tanayjiah Jackson to get another perspective on some aspects of these groups. String Ensemble played two pieces, “Blue Lake Reflections” and “thank u, next.” In relation to Orchestra, Tanayjiah explained that for String Ensemble, members have to “put more work into learning new music in a shorter amount of time than orchestra.” Along with rehearsing with Orchestra during the school day, String Ensemble meets after school at least once a week to learn more pieces of music, requiring extra commitment and dedication. Right after String Ensemble was the full West Orchestra. It was a successful night for the ensemble, who played three pieces, “Fire In The Forge,” “Someday,” and “Danza Final.” Jackson really appreciates “how much work everyone has put in for this concert,” and in hindsight, it really has paid off.
Things really got jazzy when West’s very own Jazz Ensemble took the stage. The advanced group played three charts: “Sister Sadie,” a jazz staple, “El Alma De La Banda,” adding Latin groove to the mix, and “The Chicken,” a piece that everyone in the band can agree was the perfect finale. As a newer member of the rhythm section for this ensemble, I am able to experience firsthand the amount of commitment and skill that goes into performing with this band. I’m grateful to have spoken to soloist Justin Lansing (‘25), who has played trombone for the Jazz Ensemble three years now. When asked about his experience in playing for West’s competitive ensemble, he described it as “dynamic” and a “fun and interesting experience to be able to play new and classic music that shapes what modern music sounds like today.” The Jazz Ensemble will be competing in State Jazz Prelims on March 7th. One of Lansing’s main goals for the group is to make it to state finals on May 3rd this year.
All of West’s wind instrument players took the stage after, forming West’s Wind Ensemble. Consisting of a wide variety of wind instruments, ranging from flute to oboe to french horn, the Wind Ensemble holds so much talent that shone throughout their performance. Their three pieces played were “Festivo,” “Until We Dream,” and “American Barndance.” I was able to discuss with flautist Charlotte Kerbawy (‘28) her experience so far in the West Music Department as a freshman. Since the Wind Ensemble consists of musicians from all across the department, students needed to be flexible to attend extra rehearsals after school and during lunch breaks. Kerbawy described how the rehearsals for the ensemble have been super chill, and that “there was no stress on anyone or anything.” She looks forward to her future years in West’s Music Department and is very proud of everyone in Wind Ensemble.
To end the night on a high note (pun intended) was the combined bands and orchestra. The whole West Instrumental Music Department took the stage to perform “New World Symphony (Fourth Movement)” by Antonín Dvořák, arranged by Vernon Leidig. Mr. Sagedy explained that his main reasons for choosing this as the combined piece was because he knew it was achievable by everyone, but also to expose the department to notable composers such as Dvořák. The piece was played successfully on the stage, and loved by many in the audience who are fond of Dvořák’s work.
After a successful night, many are looking forward to more that the West Music Department has to offer this year. Here are some upcoming events that the Instrumental Department will be taking part in:
February 26 and 27: Night at the Movies
March 28, 29, 30 and April 4, 5, 6: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
April 30: Evening of Jazz
May 29: Spring Instrumental Concert