By Joshua Zhuang | January 30th, 2023
Friday, December 9th, marked The Woodlands’ final performance of Beauty and the Beast, capping off nearly three months of round-the-clock rehearsals. But while Belle and the Beast graced the stage, we cannot forget the role of the orchestra, led by Mr. Mootrey, in bringing the magic of Broadway to our very own school. I interviewed tenth-grader Christal Xing, who played the keyboard, to better understand what the orchestra experience was like.
The Woodstock: When did the orchestra first start rehearsing for the musical?
Christal: We had our first-ever rehearsal on September 27, where everyone could familiarize themselves with the roles that would soon craft the play as a whole. From then on, we rehearsed every Tuesday and Friday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. for two months, until the week of the performances where we would stay until 7 p.m. on certain days to practice.
The Woodstock: How was the orchestra selected? Were there any auditions?
Christal: Mr. Mootrey put up a Google Form application in the Senior Band Google Classroom. We then applied for the position we wanted and he chose the players he wanted. There weren’t any auditions, but he asked for everyone’s levels and things like that, like for the pianos and the violins.
The Woodstock: Was it rewarding? Would you do it again?
Christal: Performing in the orchestra as a keyboard was definitely a new experience – there were many instrument cues that I was in charge of playing and keeping track of, and it was a remarkably fun and entertaining role. Playing in unison with other musicians and creating harmonious music together is one part of why I enjoy music so much, so I personally found it to be very rewarding. If our school were to organize another play next year, I [would] be sure to participate in it.
The Woodstock: How would you describe Mr. Mootrey as a conductor?
Christal: I would say that he is a very meticulous and precise person. Every time our orchestra would have problems with rhythms, tempos, or harmonisations, he would always make sure to lead us into the right direction. Even if it was a small mistake, or even if it was a missing cue that could’ve easily gone unnoticed, he still took notice and helped us correct it. Without Mr. Mootrey’s constant amendments, our orchestra wouldn’t have sounded as good as it did, and I am very grateful to him for that.
The Woodstock: Tell me a bit about what it was like playing on opening night.
Christal: Playing on opening night for the first time in front of all the teachers, friends and family that we rehearsed and prepared for many months was definitely nerve-wracking, but at the same time exciting. On that night, all the actors, dancers, musicians, and backstage crew put in their best effort to make Beauty and the Beast a play that was worthy of the two-year wait due to the COVID pandemic. I am glad that I was a part of it— being in the moment and creating something that could only come from everybody’s combined hard work and efforts.
The Woodlands appreciates the hard work, dedication, and talent of all of its orchestra members, and we look forward to hearing all of your future performances.
Note: Small edits have been made to the above interview for clarity purposes.
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