At home, sitting in her room, junior Elohor Okene goes over her music for her upcoming concert. She looks at the notes and unfamiliar words and starts to practice. She hopes to impress family and friends at TaylorHigh School’s auditorium for the district wide fine arts concert of Schubert’s Mass in G. 

“This is my first time in a major works concert event like this because I just joined varsity choir this year,” Okene said. “I’ve been going over the music and singing it by myself. I look at the meaning of the words in the beginning of the Schubert book where all of our music is since we’re not singing in English.”

Okene believes that dedication is what will truly let the audience enjoy the concert.

“I want to know what I’m singing so I can sing it with passion,” she said.

Senior Dimitri Koufakis, a member of cambiata orchestra, likes to memorize his sheet music.

“I practice a lot at home and it’s always good to memorize the music,” Koufakis said. “It gives a good understanding of the music and it makes a good section leader.”

This is Koufakis’ second year in cambiata and his second major works concert.

“I was excited for my first concert; this year it’s a little less exciting for me. The  pieces seem shorter to me,” he said. “I guess it’s because I’ve done it before.”

Koufakis encourages students to attend.

“It’s a beautiful piece. The choir does a good job; the orchestra does a good job. We poured about 10 hours of combined rehearsal and it’d be a good experience for anyone who goes.”

Orchestra teacher Cynthia King has also worked hard to prepare for the concert.

“I look through the score myself and listen to it. I familiarize it with the students and I find things to watch for,” King said. “As we go through, we make markings and to see what to work on like wrong notes or rhythms.”

Schubert’s Mass in G will be presented by Alief high school choirs with Kerr ‘s cambiata orchestra and guest conductor Dr. John Yarrington from Houston Baptist University. It will be held on Thursday, November 15, at 7:30 PM at the Alief Taylor High School Theatre. Pre-sale tickets will be sold for $5 and at the door the price will be $7.