Huntington Middle School Orchestra

Huntington Orchestra Performs at Carnegie Hall

A Once in a Lifetime Experience

April 14, 2009 

Contributed by Rob Folsom to The San Marino Tribune

Anxious and excited about their long anticipated April 8-12 New York tour, forty-three students of the Huntington Middle School Advanced Orchestra didn’t appear a bit tired as they boarded the LAX bound buses at 4:15 AM. Approximately ten hours later, they, along with a large group of parents and siblings, checked into the Hilton Hotel just after 5:00 PM New York time. That evening, the group enjoyed a nice Italian dinner and looked forward to the many activities that had been carefully planned by our parents and tour guides from Friendship Ambassadors Foundation. The itinerary included a Broadway show, tours of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Empire State Building, Julliard School of Music, and American Museum of Natural History. And, of course, the most anticipated of all the activities would be the orchestra’s performance on the main stage, Isaac Stern Auditorium of Carnegie Hall.

Our first full day began on Thursday morning with a fairy boat ride and tour of Liberty and Ellis Islands. It was an absolutely gorgeous day, not a cloud in the sky. The kids were excited, particularly about seeing the Statue of Liberty. At first sight of it, there was pointing, screaming, and an abundance of photos being snapped. Once on the island, we walked full circle around the statue, pausing for group photos along the way. Our next stop was Ellis Island where we explored and learned about the many immigrants who made the long and arduous journey across the Atlantic so they could enjoy the freedom of our great nation. Next, we ate lunch at the South Street Seaport, than headed for the prestigious Julliard School of Music.

Visiting Julliard was a highlight of the trip for many. Upon our arrival, we met with two wonderful young Julliard students who gave us a full tour of the campus. The kids were riveted as they were told about life as a Julliard student. There were many great questions asked by our students, and I could see a look of wonder in their eyes as they imagined the possibilities. After the tour, we attended a student recital where we heard a Beethoven violin sonata followed by a Schubert piano quintet. These talented musicians made every note come alive with flawless technique. The brilliant playing demonstrated to our students the level of talent and dedication necessary to attend a top-notch music school. After the recital, the kids enjoyed a retro 1950s theme dinner and then we were off to Broadway for a performance of Phantom of the Opera. Despite being a bit fatigued from all the activities, the kids thoroughly enjoyed the show. It was an incredible day, and needless to say, we all slept well that night!

When we met in the hotel lobby the next morning, the previous day’s excitement was replaced by nervous anticipation. Our long anticipated performance at Carnegie Hall was scheduled for that afternoon. At about 9:00 A.M. we walked the two blocks to Carnegie Hall to observe other student groups perform. When we got to the hall, we could hardly believe what we saw. Right near the entrance, in a massive display window, there was a large promotional poster. We must have stood there for at least ten minutes, gawking incredulously at the bold print, which read, HUNTINGTON MIDDLE SCHOOL ADVANCED ORCHESTRA, ROB FOLSOM DIRECTOR. I must admit, I could hardly believe it myself! An employee noticed us taking delight in the poster and kindly took it out of the display case so that we could take group pictures with it. The parents, every bit as enamored with the poster as the students, were snapping pictures like crazy. Many of the kids referred to them as "paparazzi." The poster definitely rekindled their excitement, but only briefly. As we finally made our way inside, they seemed a bit overwhelmed by the sheer beauty and enormity of the hall, and the nervous and uncertain expressions returned to their faces. Adding to this, we found out we were one of only two middle schools who were invited to the festival and the only one scheduled to perform that day. In addition, the high school students who performed that morning were exceptional. Returning to the hotel, we met for our only rehearsal, ate a quick lunch, and changed into formal concert attire. The time had finally come.

As we arrived at Carnegie Hall, a representative met us at the back entrance and led us to a rehearsal room on the top floor where we tuned and warmed up. After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, we were finally led back down to the ground floor and made our way onto the enormous stage. The view of the hall from the stage was even more impressive than from the audience. A couple of kids may have been a bit overwhelmed by it all and forgot we were supposed to warm up with a scale. Instead, they came in with the first few notes of our Vaughan Williams piece. And because I stressed making a strong first impression, the mistaken notes were executed with a beautiful and robust forte. Unfortunately, it didn’t exactly go with the G major scale that the rest of the orchestra was playing. Ironically, this rather comical mistake may have helped us relax a bit, for when we did actually begin the piece, the orchestra never sounded so rich and strong. From that point on, the kids rose to the occasion and played beautifully throughout the entire performance. When we finished playing the last note of our final selection, the Bach Double Violin Concerto, the orchestra was given a standing ovation. The applause lasted so long, that I had to tell our soloists, Olivia and Anya, to take another bow. It was an incredible feeling for all of us. After the performance we all felt a profound sense of relief and pride. That night, we celebrated at a restaurant close to Times Square where we had a wonderful time talking and reflecting on our experience at Carnegie Hall.

Over the next two days, we thoroughly enjoyed our time together in New York. Among other things, we went to the Empire State Building and the American Museum of Natural History. Though we enjoyed these activities very much, I think the best part was simply being together and enjoying each other’s company. There was always lots of laughter, and the kids, as well as the parents got to know each other on a whole new level. All and all, it was a "once in a lifetime" experience that will be remembered for the rest of our lives. And who knows, maybe for one or two of them, it will be more than that. Perhaps this trip will inspire one or two of our kids to return to Julliard in a few years, only this time, to pursue a music degree. And maybe someday, one or two of them will even return to Carnegie Hall to perform as professional musicians in major orchestras. I wouldn’t be surprised. They might even receive another standing ovation at Carnegie Hall like they did with the Huntington Middle School Advanced Orchestra, but I doubt it. Some things only happen once in a lifetime…

Here is the abbreviated story published in The San Marino Tribune on April 23, 2009.

March 11, 2009

The Huntington Middle School Orchestras, under the direction of Mr. Rob Folsom, will be giving their annual Spring Concert on Friday, March 20.  In addition to performing works by Bach, Beethoven, and Ralph Vaughan Williams, the award-winning group will debut two original arrangements of well known popular tunes.  So unless you plan on traveling to New York for their next concert at Carnegie Hall, this event is a must see! The concert will begin at 7:00pm at the Huntington Middle School Auditorium located at 1700 Huntington Drive in San Marino. Bring your family and make a night of it!   Refreshments will be served and admission is free.

HMS Orchestra to Give Holiday Concert on December 12

November 21, 2008

Contributed by Rob Folsom to The San Marino Tribune

Last year, in addition to a number of accolades received, the advanced orchestra took first place at the Anaheim Heritage Music Festival.  More recently, the talented group received an invitation to perform at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York.  Being one of a select group of schools from across the nation to receive this coveted invitation, the orchestra will be heading for New York in early April.

So come and show your support for this talented group of kids who have brought home top honors at the last three festivals they have attended.  Experience the sound that earned them an invitation to play at the world-renown Carnegie Hall.   This is a “must see” for the entire family.

The performance will begin promptly at 7:00 pm at the Kenneth White Auditorium at Huntington Middle School.  Cookies and beverages will be served immediately following the performance.  We look forward to seeing you there!

HMS Orchestra Is "Golden" at Heritage Festival of Music

May 17, 2008

Contributed by Kyle G. Duncan to The San Marino Tribune

They came from far and wide. The best and brightest young musicians were assembled on Saturday, May 17 to compete in the Heritage Music Festival of Anaheim. They came from places familiar, like Seattle Washington, Calgary Canada, Redwood California, and Phoenix Arizona. They came from small towns we have never heard of—places like Tooele Utah, Lebanon Oregon, and Duvall Washington. And in the end, there was only one that stood above the rest—Huntington Middle School of our very own San Marino. Yes, the Huntington Advanced Orchestra, under the direction of Rob Folsom, has done it again! They took the first place prize in a scintillating performance at nearby Fullerton College. The Wind Ensemble, directed by Dr. Bill McDaniel, and the Jazz Band, directed by Terry Federoff also received top honors. 

With Disneyland’s Thunder Mountain as the impressive backdrop, the judges announced the winners late Saturday night.  Amidst a roar of approval from orchestra members, friends and family, it was truly an evening of triumph for Huntington Middle School. "When we heard the string orchestra play from Redwood Middle School,” confessed Mr. Folsom, “I was very impressed. I suddenly realized that we were up against some very serious competition. I got a little nervous." The anxiety must have provided the proper motivation, however, because the Advanced Orchestra also received the Adjudicators Award—the top prize given to the group with the highest scores in the overall orchestra category. 

To top off the evening, their performance of Tchaikovsky’s “Excerpt from Swan Lake" and Mozart’s "Overture to the Marriage of Figaro" was truly deemed “golden.” The Orchestra is, in fact, one of a select few to also receive the GOLD AWARD, which includes an invitation to play in the “Festival of Gold.” This is an annual, national competition that provides an opportunity to perform in one of the finest concert halls in America.  Among the choices for next year is The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington D.C.

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