An Inspiring Spectrum Concert with Guest Artist and Virtuoso Joshua Corwin

We are careful to select a guest who qualifies as an extraordinary musician AND person, specifically someone who will work well with our young musicians, relate to them, and inspire them.  We also rotate through the different instruments in order to highlight the violin, viola, cello, bass, and conductor positions equally over the years.  

All students have a master class with the artist as a lesson, can ask questions, and perform a movement of a concerto, where we have the opportunity to play an accompaniment part and support a soloist.  We go deep into the style of the music and the expression, and feature real classical music as opposed to arrangements that are more typical for the lower level orchestras, providing a unique and wonderful challenge.  Our guest artists have brought us a myriad of advice, stories, and intel about the professional musical world, becoming a musician, and personal achievement.  Their insight and presence is invaluable. 

We are very fortunate to have had the support of the Williamsville Music Boosters each year to help offset the costs of bringing in a high level artist, and we are very grateful for their contributions and support!  We are a very fortunate district! 

By Mona Sengupta, 8th Grader

As a violinist, concerts are something I look forward to every year. The Mill/South Spectrum Concert is no exception. As a member of the Mill Middle School Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra, I had the opportunity to play twice at the concert. I also had the opportunity to listen to several South High School Orchestra groups perform. The sound, skill, and musicianship exhibited in these concerts were truly amazing. In Chamber Orchestra, both Mill and South collaborated on several songs, including Allegro Barbaro and Strings Cut Loose. It was amazing to play these and be able to play with high schoolers. In the Orchestra performance, our school was able to play with guest violist Joshua Corwin. We were able to play Concerto in G Major, Fourth Movement by G. P. Telemann with him. The orchestra also played the song Shadows in the House. Additionally, as our middle school/high school collaboration piece, we played Radioactive by Imagine Dragons. It was great to learn from and play with musicians of all ages!

As well as playing the fourth movement of the Telemann concerto with our orchestra, Joshua Corwin also played the Stamitz Viola Concerto with the South Orchestra. It was amazing to be able to work with him. It was a first experience for all involved to play a concerto with a real soloist, and it was an amazing experience. He also played the Hindemith Solo Viola Sonata Op. 25 No. 1 as an encore. It was such a great opportunity to be able to play with a guest artist! This was made possible by our school’s amazing Music Booster Program. Thank you to all involved!

By Aditi Myneni, 8th Grader

The Spectrum Concert is arguably the most important of the three major string concerts we have at Mill Middle, and for good reason. It brings together the 7&8 grade students to watch their fellow high school musicians perform and even play alongside them! This year, the orchestra with 7-12 grade students played the song “Radioactive,” which left the audience absolutely mesmerized. Watching and performing with more experienced players can teach students so much more than just playing with peers in class. For example, as a student in the school orchestra, I grasped several little techniques that I would probably learn years later, and it made me perform better as well.

The guest artist for the concert this year, Josh Corwin, is an accomplished and an amazing violist, and I am so thankful to be granted this opportunity to play alongside him. This was my first time playing alongside a soloist and I am sure all of us in the school orchestra gained a lot from listening and observing him play. I can say that my cues have never been better!

The Spectrum Concert also follows a special tradition where Ms. Schueler has the high schoolers share how many sports they participate in, and the different APs, music groups, and clubs - which showcases possibilities to look forward to as students grow up. It really shows the fairly new concept that students aren't restricted to just one thing, and that they can do multiple things while still doing orchestra! It diminishes the terrifying idea a lot of highly aspiring young musicians have that they might have to drop their music groups in high school to focus on more academics, but this special little edition to the Spectrum Concert really adds so much to the event.

A final reason I believe this concert is so vital for the growth of all us is that it is a chance to show not only your family and friends, but also the seniors, juniors, and peers your skills and expertise. We Mill kids worked very hard on all our pieces, and they really pushed us to our limits. As a chamber orchestra member for three years now, I can confidently say that Allegro Barbaro by Bartok was one of the hardest pieces we've played as an ensemble in my career, and we performed it specially for the Spectrum! One of my favorite parts of any concert I play in with my seniors is the feeling of inspiration I get from seeing them play, and the best part is when it comes full circle and I'm the one on the stage. That feeling, either the performer or the aspirer, are both indescribable, surreal feelings you can get nowhere else.

The spectrum concert is truly one of the most remarkable and unforgettable concerts every year, and this year's was by far an amazing experience, especially with our wonderful guest, violist Josh Corwin! I hope with the four more spectrum concerts I am left with, I make more and more memories just as priceless as the ones I have now.