By Bill Shaner, Contributing Writer
Photo/courtesy Derek Speed
Westborough – On Thursday, May 1, the Westborough Fine Arts Education Association (WFAEA) will present its annual Spring Fine Arts Gala Concert and Exhibition in the Westborough High School auditorium. The event features performances from all 24 of the school's performance ensembles, and showcases contributions from Westborough High's visual artists.
“It's basically like looking at the department through a microscope lens,” Fine Arts Coordinator David Jost said. “You get to see everything.”
The event will run from 5 to 9 p.m., starting with a two-hour display of students” visual art in the auditorium's lobby. The music starts at 7:30 p.m. A silent auction will run throughout the event.
The concert will feature a wide array of music, from a cappella choral groups, to the chamber orchestra, to a scene from the Theater Department's production of “Fiddler on the Roof” – the idea being every group in the department performs one piece. Twelve groups perform before intermission, 12 perform after.
In order to ensure the production runs smoothly, the ensembles intend to make creative use of the 700-person capacity auditorium. Smaller groups will intersperse among the audience while the larger groups, like the theater production and orchestras, will set up on stage, Jost said.
All funds raised by the event go to the WFAEA, who have put on the event annually for the past five years as their sole source of fundraising.
“All the money goes to them,” Jost said. “But in turn it all comes back to the students, either in the form of scholarships or special programs.”
Among other contributions, the WFAEA provides an annual scholarship for nearly all graduating seniors in the department and helps with specific needs teachers have that lie outside of the department's budget. Recently, they purchased full standing wall mirrors for the dance and theater program.
In terms of planning and breadth of performance, the gala is one of the department's most ambitious undertakings, Jost said.
“It's just seeing a general snapshot of the department – getting to see every kid do their thing,” he said. “That's the best part.”
The gala falls within one of the busier months for the Westborough Music Department, which involves 450 of Westborough High's 1,100 students. In May the department will also be putting on its Dance Ensemble, the Festival of One Act Plays, the Gibbons Concert, a jazz ensemble event named “Swing into Spring,” and will participate in the Memorial Day parade.
Westborough High School is located at 90 W. Main St. Tickets for the event can be reserved by contacting [email protected].
