Manhattan Beach School Orchestras Dazzle at Disney Concert Hall
Jul 01, 2022 09:57AM ● By Jeanne Fratello
Manhattan Beach musicians prepare to play at Disney Concert Hall on Thursday night. Photo via Mira Costa High School.
Manhattan Beach high school and middle school orchestras took over Disney Concert Hall on Thursday night with dazzling performances and a world premier composition.
The Mira Costa High School Orchestras, with Mira Costa Music Director Peter Park conducting, performed the special concert in honor of their 20-year anniversary.
Guest ensembles from the Manhattan Beach Middle School Orchestras, conducted by MBMS Music Director Denise Haslop, also gave performances.
Highlighting the evening was the world premier of "where the ever-changing waters rise," performed by the Mira Costa String Sinfonia and composed by renowned musician and Mira Costa alumnus Niall Taro Ferguson.
The program also honored 28 graduating seniors, many of whom are going on to continue their music careers beyond high school.
"The success of the concert is a culmination and celebration not just of the high school orchestras, but also a reflection of the curricular opportunities our students have had since third grade with the introduction of the instrumental music program," said Janet Dargan, the president of the Mira Costa Orchestra Boosters. "Each year since third grade has been a building block for the students, so congratulations goes to all the MBUSD orchestra directors as well as band directors. We are grateful for the support from our district and community for quality music and arts education, and we look forward to opportunities to bring music into the lives of even more students."
Mira Costa Orchestras Celebrate 20 Years
Founded in the fall of 2002 with a string orchestra of
just 19 students, the Mira Costa Orchestra Program has grown under Park's leadership, and now involves more than
150 student musicians, with a reputation as one of the premier high
school programs in the state of California. With Park, who is a much
sought-after clinician, presenter, and guest conductor throughout
California, the musicians study a robust curriculum augmented by a
variety of enriching experiences.
Mira Costa Orchestras prepare multiple concerts each year, drawing from the major orchestral repertoire. Since the spring of 2010, they have premiered nine new compositions written expressly for them, including an original piece by Grammy-winning and multiple Emmy Award-winning composer Lee Holdridge.
Mira Costa Orchestras have presented numerous times at state-level music education conferences while performing at internationally renowned venues including Beijing Concert Hall, the Shanghai Oriental Arts Center, Bella Concert Hall in Calgary, Palau de la Música de València, Palau de Música Catalan in Barcelona, Carnegie Hall, and Walt Disney Concert Hall.
Mira Costa Orchestras prepare multiple concerts each year, drawing from the major orchestral repertoire. Since the spring of 2010, they have premiered nine new compositions written expressly for them, including an original piece by Grammy-winning and multiple Emmy Award-winning composer Lee Holdridge.
Mira Costa Orchestras have presented numerous times at state-level music education conferences while performing at internationally renowned venues including Beijing Concert Hall, the Shanghai Oriental Arts Center, Bella Concert Hall in Calgary, Palau de la Música de València, Palau de Música Catalan in Barcelona, Carnegie Hall, and Walt Disney Concert Hall.
"The orchestra last played at Disney Concert Hall in 2013, and when we expressed interest in playing there again it was met with enthusiasm, given our caliber and Grammy Award-winning reputation," noted Dargan.
The advanced ensembles in the Mira Costa
Orchestra Program have earned the highest ratings possible at every
festival and contest in which they have taken part.
In 2012, the Mira Costa Orchestras were selected for a
premier status partnership with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. In 2014,
the Costa music program was awarded the prestigious GRAMMY® Signature
Gold Award for being a top three high school music program in the United
States. In 2015, the California Department of Education designated
Mira Costa High School as a Gold Ribbon School through the strength of
its Performing Arts department.
Due to the level of training, rehearsals, performance and professionalism taught to the students over the years in orchestra, many students go on to play in prestigious college music programs either as a career or to continue as a hobby.
Due to the level of training, rehearsals, performance and professionalism taught to the students over the years in orchestra, many students go on to play in prestigious college music programs either as a career or to continue as a hobby.
Worth noting, added Dargan, is that there is no orchestra program in Hermosa, Redondo Union or Torrance high schools.
