Manhattan High School Orchestras compete at State

Otis Mazurkiewicz, Staff Writer

With a driving passion to share the magic of music, Manhattan High’s Chamber Orchestra went to state this spring. In the state orchestra, students from all across Kansas performed the piece “Serenade for Strings” by Tchaikovsky. The Chamber Orchestra had already memorized this piece last year. Performing this piece for a second time, with a new conductor and new musicians, was a challenge for the Manhattan chamber orchestra. 

Junior Javin Gómez performed in both the large chamber orchestra and the four-member ensemble, along with junior Eva Pickering and seniors Madison Hsu and Lily Brooks-Kanost. The quartet spent a month and a half preparing a four-sectioned violin arrangement known as “The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires” by Astor Piazzolla.

Gómez performed the autumn section of the arrangement. He was grateful to be able to give the audience a performance he and his group were happy about. 

Pickering played the winter section of the arrangement. She thought that being able to practice and perform with other orchestra students across Kansas was a one-of-a-kind experience. 

Hsu played the spring section of the arrangement. Hsu chose to go to state for one main reason. 

“I wanted to have that experience of playing with other musicians from around the state,” Hsu said. 

Hsu, along with the other three violinists in her ensemble, spent many hours practicing for two separate performances. Hsu thought both the violinist ensemble and the state orchestra went exceedingly well. 

“I’d say that our Chamber performance went really well. It was pretty profound and really good expressively,” Hsu said. “The state orchestra was also very grand, because it was such a big orchestra.” 

Senior Lily Brooks-Kanost performed the summer section of the arrangement, in the violinist ensemble. Kanost most enjoyed being able to perform in front of people she knew. 

“In the audience were all the music teachers across the state, and that included my uncle, who’s a band director,” Kanost said. 

Her private lessons teacher was also in the audience. 

“It was really cool for people close to me to be able to hear us perform,” Sahe said. 

Kanost received her three-year medal at state last week. To qualify for this medal, she had to attend state for three consecutive years.

All in all, Pickering was pleased with the results of state. 

“I think state went really well,” she said. “It was a really good experience for all of us.”

What Gómez enjoyed the most while at state were the opportunities to share. 

The whole point of music is to share it with other people, so being able to do that twice is a really great opportunity,” Gómez said. 

Pickering’s favorite part of state was the bonds that were created. 

“I think we were kind of able to become closer in a different way,” Pickering said. “Being able to play music together creates a special kind of bond between each of us.”