Recently, New Jersey’s Music Educator Association hosted its 95th annual statewide concert. Six of Morris Knolls’ students had the honor of taking part in The NJ All-State Concert. The audition process was very selective, with over 1,000 students competing for spots. 300 students were chosen to be part of the mixed choir, and 150 were selected to be in the treble choir. Treble Choir consists of only higher voice parts, altos, and sopranos. A similar number of students were chosen to be part of the All-State Orchestra. There were 10 pieces total between the groups, with five of them being performed by the choir, three by the orchestra, and a final combined piece.
The first performance took place in Atlantic City at the Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall on Sunday, November 8, 2024. The hard work and dedication of the students were palpable as they played through the repertoire. Morris Knolls All-State Choir Member Beatriz Labing-isa said “Out of all the pieces, the one that I found the most moving was ‘A Silence Haunts Me’ composed by Jake Runestad.
In 1802, Beethoven wrote a letter to his brothers, now known as the Heiligenstadt Testament, expressing his despair over his growing deafness. This letter reveals his distress at losing the sense central to his art and his inner turmoil about continuing to live and compose in silence. Despite his struggle, Beethoven would go on to create some of the most revered compositions in Western music, though he remained “hopelessly afflicted.” Inspired by this story, Minneapolis-based composer Jake Runestad crafted “A Silence Haunts Me”, a choral piece based on Beethoven’s letter. Runestad’s composition is a dramatic monologue quoting themes from Beethoven’s own music, culminating in a powerful moment when the choir performed in silence to reflect Beethoven’s loss of hearing. This performance captured the resilience and power of Beethoven’s spirit, portraying a journey from despair to hope. Runestad’s tribute invited listeners to experience Beethoven’s courage and his profound legacy through music. This piece was so powerful due to the audience’s compliance and attention to not ruin the silence.
As Grace Ort, a student representing MK’s Orchestra, recounts “It was definitely an interesting experience making new friends and being able to perform in different locations such as NJPAC and Boardwalk Hall.”
The NJ All-State Concert is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience and isn’t something that one can find anywhere else. If any students are interested in auditioning for either Band, Orchestra, or Choir, the details can be found at https://www.njmea.org/
