Every year, the Massachusetts Instrumental Choral Conductor Association, known as MICCA, hosts an orchestra competition. This year, Lexington High School will send Repertoire Orchestra and Symphony Orchestra.

Repertoire Orchestra will be playing a premiere piece called “The 38th Parallel”, a piece about the Korean War. This piece was composed to spread awareness of the Korean War, since some might call it the “Forgotten War.” The composer heavily emphasized the fact that the war was not just a back and forth between two countries; it separated family and friends. In addition, the orchestra will be playing “Vive La Marionett”, a light-hearted piece that Repertoire Orchestra premiered in their last concert. The orchestra has been working hard to prepare for the festival, including a pre-concert the week before the competition to familiarize themselves with performing in an official setting. I feel that the Repertoire Orchestra will perform well because in previous years, the Repertoire Orchestra has done well in the competition.

The Symphony Orchestra will also be performing in the MICCA competition. They will play “Insurgent Looms”, which is about the silk trade and the silk industry. The music seeks to create stories about the French revolution and World War II, and express them to the audience. The orchestra will also play “Octet in Eb Major by Mendelssohn”, and “Argonauta” by Jordan Jinosko, who is a local composer known for composing “The 38th Parallel”. “The Argonauta” is a reference to the Argo, a divinely inspired ship, from Greek mythology. All these are complex pieces that display the different kinds of genres the Symphony Orchestra can perform.

Events like these are important to LHS musicians because it allows them to show their skills in their instruments. Orchestras prepare for these events by steadfastly making their way through the music together, practicing diligently until the day of the concert. Going to these concerts supports fellow students and helps the orchestras fundraise for future opportunities. Looking ahead, there are many exciting performances planned for the orchestras, including Repertoire Orchestra’s pre-concert, and Symphony Orchestra’s trip to New York for another orchestra competition.