Elgin High to hold constellation concert

If the spotlight begins to shine on the back and sides of Elgin High School's auditorium tonight, don't worry: The tech crew isn't out of practice.

At 7 p.m., the school's music department will hold its first constellation concert - a rotating performance showcasing student music ensembles stationed throughout the auditorium.

Top performers from Elgin High's symphonic band, chamber choir, chamber orchestra, jazz band, string quartet, brass ensemble, Elgin Jazz Authority and Renaissance singers will take turns performing holiday pieces, band director Jonathan Bogue said.

Organizing the concert has been a collaborative effort between Bogue, orchestra director Tom Weyland and choir director Roz Zager.

Individual groups have been practicing the pieces since October, Bogue said, coming together for a dress rehearsal on Wednesday.

"The hardest thing is getting the timing down and the transitions," he said. Performance areas include the auditorium's corners, the pit, the lip of the stage and the main stage.

Scheduled performances include "Sleigh Ride," by the jazz band, "Silent Night" by the choir, "March of the Toys" by the brass band and "Baby It's Cold Outside," by the jazz band and choir.

Putting on the concert is evidence that Elgin High's music program has grown by leaps and bounds in the past several years, Bogue said. It now boasts about 200 students in the band, orchestra and choir.

"We have one of the best programs in the district these days," he said. "There's a new energy here."