Health & Fitness
Helix Pops! 2012 - A Great Musical Diversion
Helix Charter High's instrumental music program is putting on quite the show for their Highlanders Go Hollywood, Pops concert. Don't miss it.
Last night, I had the pleasure of attending the Helix Highlanders annual Pops Concert - Highlanders Go Hollywood. The audience was treated to a full two hours of movie scores and related music, familiar to anyone who has set foot in a theater, or subscribed to Netflix in the last 40 years.
I am sure that most of the public is unaware of the depth and breadth of the instrumental music program at Helix Charter High - a program heavily reliant on fundraising and donations, that continues a long-standing Helix tradition of providing students with the opportunity of expressing themselves through music.
Most people think of only the Helix Highlander Band and Colorguard, that are fixtures at home games during the fall football season. Helix also features a Winterguard, Percussion Ensemble, a Bagpipe Band in full Scottish regalia, a Symphonic/Concert Band, a Jazz Band, a Wind Symphony group, a Fiddle Club, and perhaps most impressive, a full Symphonic Orchestra.
Watching Helix’s best perform, it is difficult to remember that these are “just kids,” as their skill level is simply astounding. The haunting melody of the theme to Schindler’s List, played by violin soloist Kim Durflinger was perhaps the most memorable part of the evening, but was certainly not the only bright spot. John Williams’ music from the Star Wars Epic wouldn’t have come alive without the excellent work of Briana Vigil on the oboe, nor would have John Phillip Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever (a Helix Pops tradition) come alive without the fantastic piccolo solo of Hollie Pickett.
Congratulations should be extended to all of these great performers, and of course Mitchell Way, Director of Instrumental Music, and Associate Director, Michael Benge. Great program!
The annual Helix Pops Concert is first and foremost an opportunity to showcase the hard-won skills of these student instrumentalists, and secondly a fundraiser for the program, supported by the non-profit Helix Instrumental Music Association (HIMA). Take a couple hours out of your day and enjoy some great music - tickets are available at the door of the Helix Caledonian Gym for Friday at 7:00 pm and Saturday at 3:00. Believe me, you haven’t lived until you’ve heard Lady Gaga’s Poker Face performed by a chamber music string ensemble.
