Congratulations to Audrey Goodner who took 2nd place at the prestigious Klein International Strings Competition Saturday-Sunday June 3-4 at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Audrey was one of only nine semifinalists selected from 111 entrants up to the age of 23 for this annual international competition.
Semifinalists were required to perform a Bach unaccompanied work, a piece by Gity Razaz commissioned for the competition, and a major portion of the semifinalist’s chosen concerto. On Saturday, June 3rd, Audrey competed against 8 others including Julliard and Curtis students and graduates, and amazed the judges and audience, earning her a top 3 spot to advance to the finals. Audrey also won the Pablo Casals Prize for the best performance of the Bach work during the Semifinals round on Saturday. On Sunday, June 4th, Audrey performed brilliantly, earning her a 2nd place finish in this world-renowned competition, which includes a cash prize and several performance contracts.
Favorite memory: My favorite memory from Langley Orchestra is the night after we played in Carnegie Hall. I remember walking through Times Square in my dress in the rain and just being surrounded by the joy of my fellow orchestra members. Dancing in the Hard Rock Cafe with everyone is a memory I will have forever.
What do you love about Langley Orchestra? I love how welcoming and supportive everyone is, and the organization would not be the same without Doc. My best friends are from Langley Orchestra and many of them I would not have met otherwise.
Words of wisdom: Enjoy your time in the orchestra and appreciate Doc. Talk to as many people as you can, because your best friends could be from orchestra. 4 years flies by and I promise you will miss being able to take a break from the busyness of school and just play an instrument with your best friends. The trips are so much fun, but make sure you appreciate every day of rehearsal too.
Caitlin Kry (left) and Faris Madani and Doc (right)
Caitlin Kry (viola):
Favorite memory: My favorite memory from Langley Orchestra was the end-of-year Space Concert last year when I was in Symphonic Orchestra. The afternoon leading up to the concert, many orchestra students stayed after school. After helping with the concert setup, I went with my friends to the auditorium. The rehearsal went smoothly, and not long after all the orchestra students went out to Langley Hall. We enjoyed live space-themed music from Wesley’s band and shared Krispy Kreme donuts from the orchestra fundraising stand. After having pizza and chatting with others at the orchestra banquet, it was finally time for the Space Concert to start. The exciting pieces played included both movie and videogame music. The performances were excellent and paired with cool lights and flashing effects to convey the theme. I especially liked Philharmonic Orchestra’s light-up bows. Soon after, it was our turn to perform. It was exciting being on stage and playing the music we had spent many hours preparing. I will remember the day’s events for a long time, as it was a great day spent with friends and enjoying music.
What I love about LHS Orchestra: I love the sense of community formed in Langley Orchestra. Whether rehearsing for concerts, washing cars for fundraising, or performing at District Assessment, everyone is so supportive and hardworking. Being involved in Langley Orchestra is so rewarding and has been one of my favorite parts of high school.
Words of wisdom: Stick with orchestra, you will learn many different styles of music, play a variety of pieces, and meet great friends along the way. The themed concerts are really fun also!
Faris Madani (violin):
Favorite memory: My favorite memory in the Langley Orchestra was our concert in 2021. The COVID-19 virus refrained the fun learning experiences that Doc had planned for us. But, he still made our online class engaging by encouraging us to stay productive and entertain us with terrible dad jokes. This brings us to my favorite memory: our only in-person concert that year at Wolf Trap where we played “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey. Seeing Doc and the other orchestra members for the first time in over a year gave me hope for the Langley Orchestra and proved that Doc can still put on a show with only a computer and his unhindered faith in his students.
What I love about LHS Orchestra: What I love about the orchestra is the open environment Doc creates. We always have room to make mistakes and then improve. We also get outside help from experts such as Dr. Lee. Getting to practice and perform with all my friends just makes it even better.
Words of wisdom: I highly encourage all orchestra members to stay in the orchestra throughout high school. There are many benefits: it is a way to make new friends, show off your musical talent, and it also counts as an art class credit for those who want an advanced diploma. Overall, there are only positives in joining the orchestra, so stick with it!
