Langley Orchestra
Author's posts
Aug 09
Welcome to the 2024-25 school year!
It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the 2024-25 Langley High School Orchestra! You will be part of one of the largest and most successful organizations in our school.
For those who do not know me yet, I have been directing the orchestra program at Langley High School since 2001. Originally from what I call ‘The Great and Powerful Nation of Canada’, I came to the U.S to complete my doctoral degree at Indiana University before moving with my wife to Northern Virginia. In addition to my FCPS teaching, I am also an adjunct professor at Patrick Henry College and a core member of the Washington Bach Consort, the area’s premiere baroque orchestra and chorus.
You are invited to join me at Orchestra Orientation on Thursday August 15th after the freshman class orientation (around 12-1pm) in the Orchestra Room (1104). This is the best time for students who are new to the program to take measurements for Formalwear (dresses and tuxedos) which will be necessary for formal performances and assessments. We will also coordinate orders for Spiritwear, including the required t-shirt & polo and other optional items of apparel to display our orchestra pride. We will present information about the orchestra (materials and expectations) and how parents can get involved with Sponsorship and supporting students through the Langley Orchestra Society.
I would also like to invite all orchestra Saxons (including family members and even graduates) to the Orchestra Welcome Back Picnic on Sunday August 18th from 5-7 pm in the Langley Amphitheater (or Langley Hall if we have unfavorable weather). This is where you will discover what our orchestra is truly about – friends, family, and food! We will also hold the ceremonial “Flickin’ Chicken” contest to see which grade level emerges as the champion.
Our orchestra is known for our dramatic theme concerts and we are planning an especially appealing line up. We will start with Spookfest, a chance to thrill our audience with spectacular Halloween tracks as well as an opportunity to enhance the impact with creative costumes. We will continue with “Call of the Sea”, a concert based on water and all things nautical. Then we will prepare for our annual Orchestra Assessment and our spring trip (more information should be ready to share at Orientation). Finally, we will conclude with “Music & Color” while we celebrate the graduation of the Class of 2025.
I would like to encourage everyone to bookmark our orchestra website: www.langleyorchestra.org which is an extremely valuable tool for information such as the Orchestra calendar, announcements for upcoming events, and honors ensemble information. Orchestra families will also be able to sign up to receive Constant Contact emails with our Orchestra Newsletter which will provide helpful reminders and updates. Students’ information will be hosted in Schoology but they will also find opportunities to connect through social media connections on our Instagram account which is updated and monitored by our capable Tri-M Music Honors Society officers. Speaking of honors opportunities, heads up that SRO Auditions are really early (Oct 1st) be ready for online registration and to pay the $10 fee on MSB.
I wish you all the best in your summer activities and look forward to seeing you in a few short weeks.
Dr. McCormick (a.k.a. Doc)
May 27
Celebrating the Class of 2024 – Vive la France Concert
Langley Orchestra concludes the year with the Vive la France Concert on Tuesday, May 21st. The concert honoring our Class of 2024 featured many pieces composed by French composers like Camille Saint-Saëns and Gabriel Fauré.
Concert Orchestra started the night with Jean Joseph Mouret’s Rondeau, followed by Ferdinand Hérold’s Zampa Overture, and ended with Alan Menken’s Beauty & The Beast. The Junior Orchestra continued the show with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera featuring Aiden Mousavi on the organ, Hector Berlioz’s Hungarian March, and Jacques Offenbach’s Can-Can. Next, the Philharmonic Orchestra performed Danse Macabre featuring soloist Audrey Goodner, and Danse Bacchanale, with both pieces composed by Camille Saint-Saëns. They ended their performance with Dean Marshall’s Sainte Patrice, and a huge shoutout to Senior Fiddlers Tano Chun, Finn Fitzgerald, Alina Liu, Amanda Chung, Audrey Goodner, Jasmine Alcorn, Sophie Lin, and Cristina Pak. Also shoutout to the guitars Luke Butler and Matthew Han, as well as Griffin Krupp on electric bass. Additionally, a huge thank you to the number of Langley Band students who played in Hungarian March, Can-Can, Danse Macabre, and Danse Bacchanale!
Finally, the Senior Orchestra put on a spectacular performance of highlights from Bublil & Schönberg’s Les Misérables, Gabriel Fauré’s Pavane, and music from Michael Giacchino’s Ratatouille. After presenting Doc with a new conducting baton by the senior class, the senior orchestra played Viva La Vida from Coldplay as the audience watched the Class of 2024’s college destinations. The concert program and senior slideshow can be found below:
Thank you to photographer Mr. Farid for his amazing concert photos! Above are a few, and the rest can be found in this Shutterfly link.
Edward Park
Apr 29
Prepare for the “Vive la France” Concert on May 21
Our final concert of the school year – “Vive la France” – is French-themed and will take place at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, May 21 in the Langley auditorium. As always, our concert is free and will be recorded.
Students are asked to wear their formal gowns and tuxedos along with black closed-toe shoes.
Meal Plan
For those students signed up for the Orchestra Meal Plan, we will be serving a French-themed dinner beginning at 5:00 pm in the cafeteria. The main entree will be Chicken Bearnaise, along with baguettes, French cheeses, and salad with choice of blue cheese or vinaigrette dressings. (A platter of meat-substitute tenders will also be available). Dessert will be a variety of delicious French confectioneries, including cream puffs, eclairs, chocolate truffles, madeleines, palmiers, and macarons. We look forward to seeing you there!
Hospitality Volunteers and Food Donations Needed
Please click this link to the SignUp Genius to help with the pre-concert dinner or to donate food and/or volunteer to help with our Langley Hall hospitality reception area. We especially encourage senior parents to sign up to help with the pre-concert dinner for our final concert!
Senior Boys, Please Consider Donating Your Tuxedos to LOS
We invite seniors with tuxedos to please consider donating them after the final concert. Donated tuxedos will be dry cleaned by LOS, and sold to incoming new students next year, with net proceeds going to LOS. A bin will be placed in the orchestra room to collect donated tuxedos starting May 22. (Please note we are switching to a commercial vendor for our signature black velvet and green taffeta gowns beginning next year, so we will no longer be collecting the custom-made gowns).