Soaring with the Dragons, Orchestra Commission Premiere
Courtney Sisson is a dedicated, high achieving orchestra teacher who always puts her students first. She built the strings program at Colvin Run Elementary School from the ground up as the inaugural director. For the twentieth anniversary of the school and thus her twentieth year of teaching there, Mrs. Sisson decided to celebrate by celebrating her students!
Mrs. Sisson personally commissioned me to write a piece for her students. Her knowledge of her students, their capabilities and their potential became vividly clear as we spoke about the type of piece she might like. Not only could she tell me where the students would be in time for the concert technically, she was able to break down the character and strengths of each section in great detail. It was a joy to listen to her describe everyone and everything in great detail and I took diligent notes to help bring her descriptions to life through their music!
I had the pleasure of guest conducting the ensemble in rehearsal twice before their big premiere. The students were already so incredibly well prepared that we were able to spend the time going beyond learning the notes to truly make music. A teacher loved by all, Mrs. Sisson even had former students return to join in the celebration. At the premiere, the Colvin Run ES Dragons not only soared, they played with such style as to take their parents and friends along for the ride. It was a treat to work with such a fine, well-established strings program under the direction of an incredible teacher, musician, and person!