On Wednesday, Oct 30, the Cherry Hill High School East Music Program performed their 2024 Fall Preview. The Fall Preview is an annual performance where each section of the Music Department puts on one song, showcasing the abilities they will continue to display throughout the year. Anyone is welcome to attend the night of music, the concert has free admission to the public.
The choral department is conducted by Lauri Lausi and Heather Lockart. The program consists of four curricular choirs (Vocal Workshop, Chansons, Concert Choir, and East Singers) and three selective choral ensembles (Stay Tuned, Belles of East, and Voce). The curricular choirs are held as elective classes, while the selective choirs meet and rehearse outside of school. The choir program spans from beginner singers to highly advanced, ensuring that all interested students are given the opportunity of a fundamental choral education.
The expansive band sector, orchestrated by Buck Palmer, features six different bands. These bands are Freshman Winds, Cherry Hill East Wind Symphony, Cherry Hill East Wind Ensemble, Lab Band, Jazz Ensemble, and Marching Band. Each ensemble performs different types and styles of music, allowing more freedom and creativity to students.
Additionally, Cherry Hill East features three orchestras and string ensembles which are led by Timothy Keleher and Gabriela Mandescu. These include the Symphony Orchestra, String Orchestra, and Pit Orchestra. However, the Pit Orchestra did not perform at the Fall Preview because they will perform in the spring musical.
In anticipation of the Fall Preview, each section of the music department has been rehearsing for the performance since the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year. The concert is fairly concise, with each group only performing one song. The performance is used to give the parents of students and anyone else interested in the department a peek into what Cherry Hill East Music is preparing for the upcoming school year.
Being part of the music department requires immense commitment from everyone involved. The teachers are widely known to love what they do, and the students are very dedicated to their craft.
Vocal Workshop student Lucy Dubin (‘28) says “Vocal Workshop is my safe space, [and] everyone is so supportive. The Fall Preview really showed how amazing the community is within the [East music program]”.
The program’s performances would not be possible without the tight-knit department group. Through vigorous rehearsals and a lot of hard work, the Cherry Hill East Music Program constructed yet another successful Fall Preview.