A night at the Orchestra

This past weekend, most of the students at Bethel enjoyed a 4-day fall break where they could go home and spend a few days with their families. I wish I could have gone home to visit my family and get some home cooking, but instead I stayed at Bethel and had the pleasure of singing with the Wichita Symphony Orchestra. This was a new experience to me and I felt a bit overwhelmed by it and unsure how it would be. Once we got there, and started practicing, it took no time to change my mind. We sang the second symphony by Mahler, which our choir has been preparing for since the beginning of the school year. It was fairly difficult for me to enjoy the music and I thought it was going to be a very long and dull weekend. Boy was I wrong. If you have never listened to a symphony, I would highly recommend you consider it! Of course I might be a bit biased because I got one of the best seats in the house, right behind the orchestra. The Bethel concert choir usually sings in the first concert of the Symphony’s 8-concert series, and although this was my first year to take part in this experience I have only ever heard good things about it. This year however, Bethel got to share this unique experience with a very special alumni. Daniel Hage, the new maestro, is a Bethel grad and does a wonderful and exciting job at the conductor’s stand. I love listening to music, but there is something to be said about hearing a piece like this one live. It’s also really nice to hear about the Bethel Alumni and know what they have done with their time at Bethel. I know how thankful he is that he has had the chance to make it to this position since he has always enjoyed the Wichita Symphony. I know that he’s exactly where he always had hoped to be, and it gives me trust in the programs here at Bethel. I already know that the science program here at Bethel is unique and top notch, but now I know that I can use my degree from Bethel to go anywhere and do anything.