The outstanding music program at Brecksville Broadview Heights High School has been awarded the 2025 best Community for Music Education from the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM).The city of Cleveland and surrounding communities have the opportunity to immerse in the music by attending the choir concert that will be performing an amazing and meaningful piece at Severance Hall on Thursday, October 16, at 7:30 p.m. with Hudson and Bay Village High Schools.
The choir director at BBHHS Emily Garlock explains a bit more about the performance. “Each year Mr.Moore(Hudson high school Director) and I try to find pieces of music that are meaningful, educational, and challenging for our students to learn,” says Garlock.
The piece that the 3 high schools will be singing is called Carmina Burana Written By Carl Orff from the years 1935 to 1936. Garlock states, “The poetry that this is based off of, talks about how our lives are determined by the fates. How fortune smiles and frowns at all of us, and no matter whether we are rich or poor, old or young, we are all the same and we should make the most of our time here on earth.”
The wheel of fortunes is a medieval symbol that represents the fickle of fate and unpredictable highs and lows of life and fortune. Individuals are selected to cast down into ruin by the turning of a giant wheel spun by the goddess Fortuna. The first song in this piece is called O’Fortuna and relates back to how your life is decided by fate.
Although the music is very hard to learn due to the several languages that the choir students have to learn, they still persevere. According to Garlock, ”Our students here are incredibly talented and I think they really like a challenge. It’s so much work, but they excel every year.”
The 3 choirs will be performing at the prestigious Severance Hall in the University Circle. Severance Hall offers spectacular views and architecture from the 1920’s and 30’s. The first auditorium is called The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Concert Hall with 2,000 seats. The second auditorium is called the Reinberger Chamber Hall and has 400 seats. The choirs have the honor to perform in the main concert hall.
It goes without saying that here at BBHHS music is very important. The students and teachers who are in the program are very hard working and appreciate music.
