The string and chamber orchestras work hard to be exceptional. Similar to the sports teams approach to their sport, the string and chamber orchestras students practice to perfect the music they play. While the school was initially under construction, the orchestra room remained intact. Everyone had a place for their instruments and their own space for practicing. For the majority of the school year 2012-2013, the ensembles had to abandon the room, due to construction, and would remain homeless for the rest of the year.

They set up shop in the wrestling room first.

“The end of December!” Mrs. Winters, the orchestra teacher and conductor, constantly said. “We’ll have our room by the end of December.”

December passed, with no new room. The ensembles made the move to the lobby.

“The worst part about not having our own room was the interruptions,” Micah Greenleaf, a senior who was in the string orchestra during 2012-2013 said. “Janitors dragging garbage cans and seniors going to the parking lot would pass by during rehearsals. When the gym classes got out there was loud shouting and jostling, usually while we were in the middle of a piece.”

After the summer, the return to school brought with it a new home for the orchestra members. Many students had opinions about the new room.

“The room is a lot like I expected it to be,” said Matthew Macesker, a sophomore member of the Chamber Orchestra. “It’s much better than the lobby. I was surprised by the size, though. It’s bigger than I expected it to be.”

“I actually thought that the room was a bit small,” said Greenleaf. “The ceiling has weird sound absorbing things. They’re, like, triangles pointing down on us. It makes the ceiling lower.”

Regardless of whether or not the students approve of the new room, many are relieved to have a permanent place. The old orchestra room was plain, white, and drab. The instruments would be lined up against the wall, and the more klutzy students were prone to tripping over them. There are now two soundproofed practice rooms, and an entire separate space to put the instruments.

After being homeless for a year, the orchestra members finally have a home.

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Director of WATERFORDrama Shane Valle is proud of his students.

“If there were ECCs for theater, we would win every year,” he said during WD’s informational meeting last Wednesday.

During the meeting, Shane told the students about the year’s schedule. The drama department will be producing four shows this year: the October production of It’s Only A Play, The Spotlight Cabaret in November, the winter play in late January and the musical in May.  Valle will also assist with a student-run production known as Lancer Theatre Productions, which is in it’s second year.

Audition information is provided on the WATERFORDrama page, which is located under the departments section of the WHS website.

Valle has also collaborated with Mr. Cadorette and Ms. Collins to create a separate afterschool program. Instead of auditioning and acting in a play, Pulitzer Prize winning works will be available to read. Students can come to read the plays aloud with the three oddball teachers. The dates are subject to change; however, for the month of September, the meetings will be on the 11th and the 25th.

Rehearsals for the fall play, It’s Only A Play by Terrence McNally, are already underway. The cast consists of three female and five male roles: Melissa Close, a senior; Sarah Stryker, a junior; Carin Estey, a junior; Noah Todd, a senior; Matthew Macesker, a junior; Jayson Menders, a junior; David Green, a senior; and Matthew Milukas, a junior.

“I love working with a small cast,” said Close. “You really get to know each other and there’s a lot of teamwork in the show.”

“I feel as if this cast is one of the closest and most fun ones I’ve been in here in Waterford,” says Todd, who has been in 12 shows.

Milukas also enjoys the rehearsal process. “Rehearsals are great,” he said. “It’s cool to see something come together like this.”

It’s Only A Play is a comedic depiction of the stress actors, producers, drama critics and writers of a Broadway production feel waiting for the opening night reviews. Also included in the cast is a “hard-boiled taxi driver” who has “seen it all.” The odd assortment of characters makes for a fun and interesting night of entertainment.

“I recommend the show,” said Estey. “It’s hilarious.”

When asked what their favorite thing about drama in general was, the cast gushed.

“I love the opportunities we are given in WATERFORDrama,” said Estey. “So many opportunities are provided to meet new people and perform in all sorts of different shows. It’s such a different experience from any other group I have performed with!”

“My favorite part of drama is how close and caring we all are for each other,” said Todd. “I know that I can go to almost anybody in the cast with a problem and they would immediately help me solve it.”

WATERFORDrama provides a unique family dynamic to all of the students involved in drama, from the techies to the actors, and is open to all who wish to join it.

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This year begins a new chapter in Waterford High School’s art program. Three new art teachers are joining the school: Ms. Paquette, Ms. Brown, and Ms. Concasia. All three teachers have big aspirations for their art classes.

After teaching for 20 years in the elementary schools, Ms. Brown thought it was about time to move to the high school.

When asked what she was looking forward to most about teaching at the high school, Brown answered, “seeing former students”. Concasia agreed. Concasia, who encourages students to “have an open mind” when taking art, originally taught at the elementary school, before moving to the middle school and now the high school.
Ms. Brown plans on having her students work with a “variety of media” including her favorite, soft pastels. Ms. Concasia, on the other hand, prefers to use clay with her students. Other media they plan on introducing include papier-mâché, watercolors, plaster, and printmaking.

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With a new year comes new changes to Waterford’s music program. There are new classes, more advanced technology, and plenty of opportunities to get involved.

The newest class added to the school’s program is “We Will Rock You: Music in Modern Culture.”

Mr. Fioravanti designed the class to “enhance the students’ enjoyment of current popular music and enable them to recognize, to understand, and to find delight in a wide variety of musical forms and formats.” No prior music experience is required to take the class. The class will focus on music that has influenced modern history and culture, as well as on the various types of music that can be found around the world.

Another new installment to Waterford’s music program is the technology in the recently renovated band room. The room now features brand new storage cabinets for instruments. The original pit design of the floor has also been leveled and refinished. The most advanced part of the room, however, would have to be the recording system installed over the summer. Multiple microphones are suspended throughout the room allowing ensembles to record and playback their performances.

“When a student plays in an ensemble, it is difficult to hear exactly what the ensemble sounds like as a whole,” stated Fioravanti. “The new system will give the students an opportunity for immediate feedback as to how they perform.”

Later this year, the Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Choir will both be traveling to the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts for their annual high school jazz festival on February 8th. Members of the music program were also given the opportunity to go on a trip to New York City to see Phantom of the Opera on October 30th. There will be plenty of other opportunities to be involved in the music program throughout the year.