La Vista takes an inside look at how the Visual and Performing Arts Department rings in the holiday season with Orchestra’s Winter Concert, Drama’s Holiday Benefit, Band’s Winter Concert and Choir’s Downtown caroling, Winter Concert and their performance at the Neputian Woman’s club.
Compiled by Karli Wallace/ Executive Theme Editor, Kimi Danaei/ Theme Editor, Tess Fortier/ Illustrator, Ashley Ekonomo/ Illustrator, Drew Rohm/ Photo Editor
Costa organizations including Choir, Band, Orchestra and the Drama/Tech Department celebrate the holiday season with various winter concerts and shows.
Mira Costa’s Philharmonic, Sinfonietta, Chamber and Symphony orchestras kicked off the Visual and Performing Arts Department’s lineup of shows on Dec. 7 with their annual Winter Concert in the auditorium. Pieces from the Winter Concert program were selected by Orchestra director Peter Park.
“This year’s concert was very different from the last because of the new addition of the Sinfonietta Orchestra in our department,” junior Orchestra student Julia Vasquez said. “This year has been special because we were able to perform the complete Jeremiah Symphony.”
Orchestra also introduced a new aspect to the Winter Concert by holding a raffle that allowed three audience members to join Symphony Orchestra on stage for the last piece, “Sleigh Ride.”
“It was fun and lighthearted to see audience members really experience what it is like being in an orchestra,” junior Jack Kwon said. “It also captured the audience; people were laughing and enjoying themselves, and it really brought a special kind of holiday cheer to the Winter Concert.”
Orchestra started preparing for the Winter Concert the third week of the school year, according to Vazquez. This year, the Orchestra was joined by mezzo-soprano vocalist Kate Warren singing in the third movement, “Lamentations,” in the performance of the Jeremiah Symphony. Warren started practicing with Symphony Orchestra three to four weeks before the performance.
“The Jeremiah Symphony required many hours of rehearsal for us to sound confident and professional,” Vasquez said. “We did not originally anticipate to perform the third movement due to its challenging mezzo-soprano part, but we are so grateful for [Kate Warren] to have been able to work with us.”
Aside from the Winter Concert, Orchestra played at other holiday events within the South Bay community. The Chamber Orchestra played at the Hermosa Beach Tree Lighting on Dec. 7 and will also play at the Hanukkah Festival at the Hermosa Beach Pier on Dec. 22, and the Grand Menorah lighting at the Metlox Plaza in Manhattan Beach on Dec. 23.
“The Winter Concert provides a nice send off into the new year,” Kwon said. “It’s really rewarding to see the progress we’ve made and to look forward to more in the new year.”
Mira Costa’s Drama/Tech Department hosted its annual Holiday Benefit show on Tuesday in the small theatre where Drama students performed and raised funds to donate to low-income families.
“This year’s benefit was far different from last year’s because we have a lot of unique performances in the program,” senior Griffin Moore said. “This show is a great opportunity to come to support charity work within the Costa community and a great way to get into the holiday spirit.”
The Holiday Benefit show started seven years ago as a way to fundraise for the Manhattan Beach Education Foundation, the Parent-Teacher-Student Association and the MBX Foundation. According to senior Drama Club president Natalie Rebenkoff, the purpose of the show is to give back to low-income families through Operation Happiness during the holidays while supporting philanthropy in the Costa community.
“The Holiday Benefit not only gives back to those in need in time for the holidays but also contributes to the work ASB does with Operation Happiness,” Rebenkoff said. “It’s really great that Drama can be involved in the work that Costa does to spread joy for the holidays.”
The Holiday Benefit show is run independently of the department’s fall and spring productions and is run by the Drama/Tech students themselves. Rebenkoff and senior Drama Club event coordinator Olivia Stanley are responsible for casting and organizing the show. Drama Tech is responsible for setting up the Holiday Benefit’s lighting, music queues and other production logistics. There was a total of 20 acts at this year’s benefit, with performances ranging from comedic and dramatic skits to original performances.
“Even though it can be really stressful at times, my favorite part of the Holiday Benefit show is that it’s done entirely by students,” Stanley said. “Drama kids are performing and doing what we love on stage, and also giving back to Operation Happiness.”
Drama Tech Board Members used the funds from the Holiday Benefit show to purchase gifts for their Adopt a Family through Operation Happiness. The students went shopping and wrapped gifts for their Adopt a Family after the benefit was over.
“Since the benefit show falls on a Tuesday night, we go shopping for Operation Happiness and Adopt a Family on Wednesday after school,” Drama/Tech stage manager and senior Winter Hagstrom said. “The show is always really fun to work on every year, but being able to give back to others by doing what we love in time for Christmas really makes it something special.”
Costa’s Jazz Band performed at Manhattan Beach’s annual downtown fireworks event on Dec. 8 and the saxophone group, the Sax Pack performed at Costa’s Frosty Festival in the cafeteria to spread holiday cheer. Costa’s Band program also hosted its annual Winter Concert in Costa’s auditorium on Wednesday, Dec. 11.
“The jazz band always plays on the big stage during the Manhattan Beach winter fireworks,” senior Band president Dexter Brown said. “Our goal was to spread holiday cheer to everyone who wanted to see the fireworks, and I think people really enjoyed our music.”
The band begins practicing different pieces at the beginning of the year to work on technique. During this time, Band director Joel Carlson begins choosing pieces by determining the students’ abilities.
“We spend most of the time practicing better technique and sounds that we can apply to any literature,” Carlson said. “I try to pick pieces that give the students the opportunity to grow as musicians and have interesting things for them to express that are centered around the holidays.”
For this Winter Concert, the band rehearsed over a six-week period to perfect the sound and collaborate with each other sonically, according to Carlson. The bands played a wide variety of pieces including “Jingle Bells,” “King Upon a Midnight Clear,” “Silent Night” and “Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”
“This year’s concert was different from last year’s because each ensemble grows and is able to take on new challenges,” junior band student Summer Syed said. “This year I am excited to play the short end to our finale because not all of the ensembles get to play together all the time.”
Mira Costa Choir program held its annual Neptunian Woman’s Club performance on Wednesday and a Winter Concert on Monday to celebrate the holiday season. They will also be caroling in downtown Manhattan Beach tomorrow. To prepare for each event, the choirs learned holiday-themed pieces at the beginning of the year and worked to perfect songs.
“To prepare for our caroling event, we learn several famous holiday carols and practice each of them for weeks prior, both as a group and in octets,” junior Choir student Ryan Dugdale said. “We’ve been preparing a few other songs for the Winter Concert since the beginning of the school year and have rehearsed them nearly every day in class.”
The choir’s Vocal Ensemble has hosted its annual caroling event in downtown Manhattan Beach to spread cheer during the holidays, according to Costa Choir director Michael Hayden. Every year they meet at the Metlox Plaza and split into groups of eight, going from shop to shop singing various carols such as “Here We Come A-Caroling,” “The Holly and the Ivy” and “Angels We Have Heard on High.”
“I’ve gone caroling the past two years, and seeing the joy on people’s faces when we sing to them is so rewarding and seems to really impact them,” senior Choir student Maggie Cubillos said.
Vocal Ensemble and the Choral Union will also join the Choral Union to perform pieces from their caroling event, along with a few new ones for the Choir’s annual Neptunian Woman’s Club performance.
“We’ve been invited to sing at this banquet luncheon for years so we accept the invitation and go to the luncheon and sing for them,” Hayden said. “The Neptunian Woman’s Club is one of our best experiences of the year because of how much they appreciate the performance.”
The choirs will also be hosting their annual Winter Concert, “This Shining Night,” in the Costa auditorium where Vocal Ensemble, Choral Union, Men’s Choir, Costa Chorale and Coterie will sing various holiday and Christmas songs on Monday.
“I’m most looking forward to the Winter Concert because I love how we end the concert,” junior Choir student Reese Martin said. “This time especially is going to be special because it’s Mr. Hayden’s last year, and we don’t know if this tradition will continue so we’re all reaching towards an amazing performance to give Mr. Hayden a great last Winter Concert.”
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