The music program has concerts coming up next week on the 10th, 11th, and 12th of December. Director of the music department, Mr. Bickel, has been preparing for these events.
His mood can vary leading up to the concerts, stating that it “depends on the day. Some of our musicians like to wait until the last minute to perfect things and that can cause some anxiety.” He loves music and says his favorite thing about being a music director is “sharing my love for music with others. When I see our students develop a passion for music, it really inspires me to keep going. My favorite thing about being a music director at DeMatha is working with my music colleagues. I am very fortunate to have colleagues that are not only tremendous musicians but they also push our students and our program to be the very best.”
He gets into the mindset before a concert by listening to “professional recordings of the music we are about to perform and that seems to help me lock in.”
Mr. Bickel plans to do some things different for this year’s concert than in previous years. “We are always trying to streamline the process– make transitions between groups and pieces more seamless so that the audience can have an enjoyable evening.”
Lastly, his favorite Christmas hymns are “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming” and “In the Bleak Midwinter.” Meanwhile, Wham’s “Last Christmas,” Mariah Carey’s ”
All I Want for Christmas,” and Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song” are his favorite popular Christmas tunes.
A third of the concerts were last night on December 10. The next two concerts will take place tonight at 7 p.m. at Elizabeth Seton High School and tomorrow night in the convocation center at 7.
