MKA Musicians Perform at Carnegie Hall

The annual Carnegie Hall strings performances never fails to leave the audience in awe of the unquestionable talent that so many students bring to the MKA community. This year's showcase was no exception. Dimitri Hadjipetkov, the tri-campus strings director, demonstrated the versatility of his students through the wide variety of his composition choices, from his selection of several well-known classics such as Carmen Suite as well as the Game of Thrones theme music, to the assortment of baroque concertos and romantic symphonies.

Collectively, the concerts at Carnegie Hall are distinguished for their exhibition of talent extending far beyond the strings musical family, incorporating vocals, woodwinds, or percussion instruments. This year, the performance featured a drum player as an accompanist to the Game of Thrones theme music, and the Chamber Singers choir joined the Upper School Advanced Strings Ensemble in a movement from Handel's Messiah.

The progression in musical difficulty and skill throughout the duration of the performance was gratifying because it was a testament to the growth of students from a Brookside neophyte into a soloist in the Upper School Advanced Strings Ensemble. No matter how inexperienced one is initially in a particular field, the Carnegie Hall performances are one of the many examples of the potential that each MKA student has to become proficient in whatever they pursue.

Overall, Carnegie Hall is an invaluable and educational experience for student musicians because it provides them with the opportunity to showcase their abilities and to practice performing in front of a larger audience. Mia Bohi-Green, a violinist in the advanced strings group, shared her insight on her experience at Carnegie Hall, "It's a very humbling experience to be in such a nice place, knowing that the school invested so much for our last concert of the year."

While the Carnegie Hall performances are ultimately the culmination of all of the strings students' hard work since the beginning of the year, they are also a great way for the MKA community to come together and celebrate the school's plethora of talent as well as enjoy some meaningful, evocative music.

To view more photos from the day click here.