By Diane Lee
Contributing Writer
Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, Dvorak, Sanders, Koester. This is a list of brilliant classical music composers whose pieces were performed by the Mira Costa symphony orchestra this year. While some might seem foreign, the last two names are strangely familiar.
Senior Joe Sanders and junior Tristan Koester are student composers. Their original compositions were played by the symphony orchestra at the Pops Concert on May 26 in the auditorium. Sanders’ “Rhapsody in Green and Gold” and Koester’s “School-Notes in the Dorian Mode” were premiered as a two-movement piece.
“It’s a unique situation to have two members of our orchestra composing original compositions for us because of their creativity and artistry. To have our talented student composer right there to listen, to collaborate, and to address music as it happens is a great learning opportunity for everyone involved,” orchestra director Peter Park said.
Both Koester and Sanders have been composing since they were 14 years old. Sanders and Koester also play the violin and the cello, respectively, in the symphony orchestra. This year, they asked Park if they could produce music for a concert.
“We were playing some of the music I wrote, and Mr. Park liked it. The next day I brought in some of my scores, and he seemed to be enthusiastic about it. A couple of months later, Joe and I walked up and asked if there was any chance that our pieces could be played for one of the concerts coming up, and surprisingly, he said yes,” Koester said.
In addition to writing the music for the concert, Sanders also submitted his work to colleges during the application process. He composed and submit it to colleges because he applied to major in music composition.
“My piece sounds like movie music. It’s very sad in some parts and it’s very adventurous sounding in others. I just meant for it to be really grand and that’s what I like about it. I got that result,” Sanders said.
The title of Koester’s piece is meant to reflect the fact that for a few months before the deadline to turn in his music to Park, he dedicated all his time writing the music, even during class time. The song is in the Dorian mode, a musical scale beginning on the second note of the scale.
“The piece starts out very powerfully. Then it goes straight into a sort of dance-type feel. Toward the end, I repeat all the themes and I add more dance type feel, so it’s like an overwhelming dance,” Koester said.
Koester, as a junior, is still contemplating college, but he wants to major in music composition. Sanders will be attending Cal State Long Beach next year.
“I really want to get a lot written in my four years at Long Beach, and I want to get some of it performed. I want to eventually make it into their Chamber Choir,” Sanders said. “I just really want to step it up because I’ve never really tried that hard in school my whole life. I want to try hard at something now that I’m finally taking the classes I want.”
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