It began at six o’clock pm on Thursday, May 10th, 2008, when the Music Council met for a final briefing in Room 102 of Woburn’s Music Hall. This was the culminating evening of excellence and achievement for the students of the Woburn Music program- Sounds of Spring. The same Spring Concert, Woburn has been hosting for the past years, took on a new name, but did not stray from its record of superb musicality. Audience members turned out in droves, and left feeling far from disappointed by the ensembles’ displays of talent and skill.

This year there was a change in the typical program order, allowing for the Madrigal choir to open the show with a bang. Jaberwocky enthralled the audience, employing both voice and instrument to tell an engaging story. Their rendition of the popular classic, Bridge Over Troubled Water, moved the audience, bringing tears to the eyes of several.
The first half of the program ran smoothly, also featuring the Thursday Band, Chamber Choir, and the Jazz Band. The set was closed by the Wind Ensemble, who entertained the audience with their energy in maintaining Holst’s jovial theme throughout his piece, Jupiter. Throughout the intermission, the audience buzzed with positive feedback for all the fine playing they had witnessed.

The second half of the program was opened by Monday Band, under the direction of a student conductor. Then there was a special addition to the program, a vocal quartet singing the classic, Amazing Grace. The audience was also treated to three very different pieces performed by the concert choir, who proved why they deserved the recognition they received at the Ontario Vocal Festival. Another jazz performance, this time by the Junior Jazz band, provided a nice segue into the last performance of the evening, a final appearance by the Wind Ensemble.

Last, but certainly not least, the Wind Ensemble demonstrated exactly why they achieved gold earlier on in the year, at the Ontario Band Association festival. First they showed their mastery of somber melodies, while playing O Magnum Mysterium. El Camino Real- a Spanish fantasy, was selected to close the show and provide an accurate portrayal of not only the ensemble’s 2007-2008 achievements, but also the accomplishments of Woburn Music over the course of the past school year.

I would like to extend a final word of thanks to all those who participated in the concert, and to those who took the time to attend. To the participants, your hard work and effort is what keeps up our standard of excellence. To those who came out to see us, you are the reason we keep doing this. Without an audience, what is a performer?

Stay tuned for more news of Woburn’s musical stylings in the near future.