Serenade of Memories: Orchestra Senior’s Solo

Starting on October 29th, 2024, Orchestra has been performing their concerts at the LJ Theater. During these concerts, they have been dedicating a small portion of their performance to their seniors, letting them play a solo.

By: Yoselin Reynoso-Lozano

On October 29th, only two months into senior year, Xander Cecena-Caballero, ’25, and Gabriel Atienza, ‘25, performed their senior solos.

Caballero has been in Redwoods orchestra all four years but has been playing the violin since the fifth grade.  

Performing the piece ‘Oblivion’ by Astor Piazzolla wasn’t easy for Caballero to perform, especially since it was a solo. 

Caballero says, “The main challenge was definitely just getting comfortable performing alone in front of people. You have all eyes and ears on you and I wasn’t comfortable with that type of audience and pressure so it’s definitely a different focus, not too focused on messing up more on the music in general.”

Although nervous to perform in front of everyone Caballero thinks he did well and is overall proud of the performance he gave.

The director of the Redwood Orchestra, Mr. Yokota says, “A very cool piece and he did an amazing job as well for it only being two months into school at an early concert instead of toward the end.”

Atienza has been in Orchestra for six years, two in middle school and all four in highschool. Although before picking up the violin he also played the piano.

Atienza played ‘Concerto No. 3 the first movement‘ by Wolfgangus Mozart and started preparing for it over the summer in June since they were notified of the change in senior solos being played more toward the beginning of the year instead of towards the end.

Atienza says, “I think I did pretty well. It wasn’t a perfect performance but I’m happy with how it turned out. Although it’s sad this is the end of my highschool orchestra days, I’m continuing after highschool so i know it’s not the end of orchestra for me.”

Yokota says, “He did a great job, still had nerves and played great.”

On December 11th, at the Redwood orchestra winter concert Tara Khazaeizadeh, ‘25, and Samuel Noricumbo, ‘25, also performed their senior solos.

Khazaeizadeh has been in orchestra since fifth grade and performed ‘Por Una Cabeza Tango’ by John Williams for her solo.  She started practicing for this piece only a month before her performance due to an unexpected switch.

Khazaeizadeh says, “It was a great way to end my high school violin experience. In reality it’s sad that this is my last year and I’m leaving all of my friends since most of them are younger than me and I guess I just don’t want to go.”

Yokota says, “She’s doing a great job and has been a great leader in the orchestra especially since this semester she’s in all three orchestras.”

Noricumbo has been in orchestra since fifth grade and has been preparing for his solo since September. He played ‘Concerto No. 3 by Rodolfo Boccherini in G major.’

“I think I did well. I listened to the recording and some parts were shaky but overall I did well.”

Yokota concludes, “It’s fun he’s actually doing it in a way to remember those seniors from the past few years.”

Tags: arts & entertainment, orchestra, rangers, Redwood, redwood gigantea, redwood high school, redwood journalism, redwood orchestra, redwood rangers, rhs, rhs orchestra, senior, visalia ca