Years ago, junior mechanical engineering major Laney Mohr began arranging a medley of ABBA songs for an orchestra to perform but was unable to finish it. When UP’s orchestra decided to perform songs from musicals for their next concert, Mohr revisited their passion project.
“I was looking through all my scores, looking at my old ideas, and took bits and pieces and just ran with it,” Mohr said. “I curated it to hopefully convey a sense of power and self-expression through it.”
UP’s music season will come to a close with a final concert from the orchestra and wind symphony on April 13. Hosted in the Buckley Center Auditorium, the concert will start at 3 p.m. with free admission for the UP community and the public. Tickets are not required for the concert.
The performance of songs from musicals is centered around themes of resilience, personal growth and empowerment, according to Mohr.
“We’re trying to break out of the bounds not just of what is music, but also what is identity,” Mohr said. “I think given the current political climate, a lot of us are feeling a little bit like, ‘Hey, I’m worried about having my sense of identity, my sense of belonging.’”
Preparations for this concert started a year ago, with Assistant Professor and Director of Orchestral Studies Rebekah Hanson deciding the theme last spring before selecting the music in December. Rehearsals began in late February and have been running twice a week since.
Besides Mohr’s arrangement of ABBA songs, the concert will feature other well-known songs, like “Don’t Rain on My Parade” from the musical “Funny Girl.” Hanson believes the audience will recognize and relate to the concert’s setlist.
“I’ve realized that come April, people are burnt out,” Hanson said. “It’s gorgeous outside. Nobody wants to play music that’s dark and heavy and intense. We want to be uplifted. In November, doing something dark and edgy is perfect because everybody’s on the same wavelength, versus now it’s like ‘No, I want ABBA.’”
Additionally, one of the pieces will be conducted by sophomore secondary education and music double major Phoenix McCoubrey, who works as the orchestra’s conducting associate. Senior computer science major Marshall Zhang will also perform a violin solo.
Orchestra and wind symphony students also acquire more skills than mastering their instruments. The musicians gain an eye for detail, learn to work collaboratively and get to experience the payoff of teamwork, according to McCoubrey.
The orchestra has created a community that motivates its members to perform, according to Rowan Lowery, a second-year arts administration major.
“I love the community in orchestra,” Lowery said. “I never want to be a solo performer. I love making music with people and the community of friends that you find in that. It’s a very different experience than just playing music on your own, and that’s what I really enjoy.”
With rehearsals wrapping up, the student musicians are excited to showcase their hard work, according to Hanson.
McCoubrey also believes the students’ passion will make this concert stand out from the rest of the season.
“This concert especially feels like a labor of love,” McCoubrey said. “A lot of people have committed to making this concert happen. We’re really connected to the music that’s happening.”
Samantha Zavala is a news reporter for The Beacon. She can be reached at zavala27@up.edu
