All District Mixes It Together

Poly music students participated in the annual All District Concerts, which were held from January 29 to February 4 at the Terrace Theater as well as in Milikan High School’s auditorium.
Both concerts featured spectacular nights filled with impactful, full orchestra pieces, such as “Jupiter” and Dvorak’s “New World Symphony.” Both pieces were well received by the audience, leading to the concerts’ overwhelming success. Students from all levels, including different middle schools and high schools in the district and even the professional Long Beach Symphony Orchestra, prepared extensively to provide such memorable performances.
The All District Concert is different from other concerts in that it is inclusive of every high school and middle school in the district; however, only the top 100 students who audition are accepted to represent the top musicians in the district.
This year also featured the Side-by-Side Concert with the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra (LBSO), which occurred throughout January 29 and 30 and only happens every two years. At this concert, the All District players performed alongside the LBSO, playing for an audience of about 12,000 4th and 5th graders total.
“Playing next to professional brass players, especially when we played “Star Wars,” is a learning experience you only get once in a lifetime,” says senior trombone player, Michael Franco, “This All District was the best one I have ever been in by far.”
At the Milikan All District Concert held on February 4th, which was open to the public, senior Concertmaster Jeffrey Lam received the prestigious Fred Ohlendor Memorial Scholarship, which is rewarded to seniors who exhibit exceptional musicality and leadership.
“I was surprised to receive it,” said Lam, “And very honored as well.” When asked how he felt about the performance, Lam said, “We did pretty well, (I’m pretty cynical) so that says a lot by itself. Despite the challenging repertoire, it came together well.” Lam adds, “It was a wonderful experience and a good way to end my last All District performance.”