David Jang (9) took a deep breath, preparing to play the steady tone that would balance the chord; after repetition and rehearsal, the chord went from dissonant to harmonious. Under the direction of Mitchell Way, the Wind Symphony picked apart their music note by note in this way, and Jang was able to watch that hard work pay off at the final performance in the Westview GOLD Winter Show. Wind Symphony was Jang’s preview into the rigor and challenge that comes with Wind Ensemble during concert season. 

Wind Ensemble is the highest level performance group in

the Westview GOLD band program, and it requires rigorous practice both in and out of school. With audition-based enrollment and limited availability for each instrument, earning a place in Wind Ensemble can be a highly competitive process. Although it is normally populated by experienced upperclassman musicians, this year, three freshmen have earned a spot in this advanced group: oboist Jang, trombonist Ethan Rhee (9), and clarinetist Jonathan Rhee (9). Each has played in a concert setting for years, and as a result, was able to meet the performance criteria to join this group.

Wind Ensemble repertoire is notoriously difficult to master; the music often features a combination of complex rhythms and delicate phrasing. Despite this, the three freshmen chose to audition because they prefer to be challenged by the music they play.

“Ironically, easy music isn’t as fun as challenging music,” Jonathan said. “When you play harder music, it’s obvious what you have to practice, and you have an actual goal in mind. When music is too easy, there isn’t much to practice and I tend to get less motivated.”

Ethan adds that it is more rewarding to spend time on difficult music until it is polished rather than immediately being able to play an easier piece flawlessly.

“After you practice challenging music and master it, you feel really proud of yourself,” Ethan said. 

Jang is anticipating the contrast between his experience with middle-school concert music last year to Wind Ensemble’s advanced repertoire.

“I’m expecting that there is going to be a big shift in difficulty for me,” Jang said. “But I don’t feel scared about it. I want to experience the amazing music that is provided by the program.”

After having to devote rehearsal time to both music and marching in marching band, Jonathan said he is looking forward to being able to direct his focus to the finer details in the pieces he plays.

“Marching season was definitely fun, but I think I’m more excited to be in concert season now because I can sit down and focus 100% on the music aspect [of the program],” Jonathan said.

While performing in Wind Ensemble means these musicians will be able to enjoy fun and challenging pieces, it also requires them to be in a class that consists of mostly juniors and seniors. Still, Ethan said he isn’t worried about feeling isolated from the upperclassmen because he was able to connect with his section throughout the first term.

“[The trombone section] is really fun to be with,” Ethan said. “Even though everyone’s older than me, there’s still a bond between us and it’s great to play with them.”

However, Jang said he is slightly intimidated by the idea of performing at the same level as the upperclassmen, but his anxiety is alleviated by the older students’ encouragement.

“I do feel a little bit of pressure, and that’s mostly because of the fact I feel like I have to live up to [the] expectations [of being in Wind Ensemble],” Jang said. “But no one has said anything [negative] about me being a freshman. Everyone in band is really supportive, and being surrounded by so many great musicians is such a cool experience.”

Overall, the freshmen are looking forward to improving their skills and becoming better players by performing in an ensemble that is dedicated to advanced musicians. 

“[Wind Ensemble] is an environment where I have people I can look up to,” Jonathan said. “I’ll be playing more challenging music and I’m excited to have more opportunities to learn.”