By Julia Oudiz
Online Features Editor
Members of the Mira Costa Band and Orchestra traveled to New York City on May 26 where they performed their concert, On the Winds of Song, on May 29 in Carnegie Hall.
Over 200 Costa band and orchestra students traveled to New York to perform along with approximately 100 adults including teachers, administrators, chaperones, Costa Principal Dr. Ben Dale and Vice Principal Jon Shaw.
“Words can’t describe how amazing it was,” Costa Orchestra Director Peter Park said. “It was everything that I was expecting and more [with] the amazing acoustics of the concert hall along with our amazing student-musicians.”
Since last school year, Park, Band Director Joel Carlson and the Band and Orchestra booster clubs have been collaborating with Distinguished Concerts International New York, an organization that works to organize performances in New York with musical groups across the country, to plan the performance at Carnegie Hall.
In total, four Costa groups performed 15 pieces during the concert. The Symphony Band and Wind Ensemble performed under the direction of Carlson, and the Philharmonic, Chamber and Symphony orchestras performed under the direction of Park.
“There are not that many once-in a-lifetime opportunities, but I’d say playing a featured performance in Carnegie Hall is definitely one of them,” Dale said. “It is a validation of all of [the band’s and orchestra’s] hard work.”
The Costa Wind Ensemble performed songs such as “Equus,” composed by Eric Whitacare, and the Symphony Band performed songs including “Havendance,” composed by David Holsinger. The Philharmonic and Chamber orchestras performed pieces together, such as “Jubilant Overture,” composed by Joshua Rezincow, and the Symphony Orchestra performed songs including “Rhapsody in Blue,” composed by George Gershwin.
“When we first did our sound check in Carnegie Hall, the kids were blown away,” senior Orchestra president Shubhayu Bhattacharyay said. “[It gave] a performer the experience to internalize the acoustics in Carnegie Hall.”
In order to fundraise for the trip, the band raised over $68,000, exceeding its original goal of $65,000, Orchestra booster parent Beth Nicosia said. To raise this money, Costa held several fundraisers such as student-initiated bake sales and an ice-skating fundraiser at the Toyota Center.
“We were able to pay for the luggage fees and give each student and chaperone an additional $35 back for extra lunch [and] spending money,” Nicosia said.
In addition to performing at Carnegie Hall, students visited several attractions in New York, such as Times Square, the 9/11 Memorial, the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty.
“The trip allowed us to cover many landmarks in a short amount of time,” Bhattacharyay said.
The Costa Music Department will not travel to Carnegie Hall next year because it was extremely expensive to plan, Carlson said. Park hopes that Costa will one day have the opportunity to perform at the concert hall again. he said.
“It was one of the most phenomenal concerts that we’ve ever given,” Carlson said. “There were really stunning presentations, and the audience was very receptive to what we played.”
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