Orchestra holds annual gala
Attendees watch the orchestra as they play during the gala.
Samo’s orchestra held their annual Spaghetti & Strings gala in the cafeteria on Feb. 7 from 5:30 till 9 p.m. to raise funds for the students’ South Korea tour this March. The event started with an auction where attendees bid on a variety of items from gift cards to weekend retreats while the Chamber Orchestra played background music.
The name originates from, very literally, the agenda of the event. Guests are served salad and spaghetti, although students worked during the auction portion of the night handing out appetizers such as their smoked salmon madeleines. While last year’s event was centered around the Palisades Fires and served as a community-building concert, the orchestra switched back this year with fundraising returning to its usual focus. Orchestra director Jason Aiello shared his thoughts about his excitement for the event.
“One of the endearing aspects of Spaghetti and Strings is that the students are actually working the event in addition to performing. My favorite part is the community aspect of it, everyone coming together… to me, that’s what’s really unique about this concert,” Aiello said.
The cafeteria was beautifully decorated with black tablecloths and dimmed lighting. Guests were given envelopes with auction-bidding paddles, seat assignments and programs for the show. Once everyone was seated, math teacher Kelly Okla gave an introductory speech expressing his appreciation for Samo’s orchestra.
“I am a teacher at this school, I am supposed to ignite [the students], but every time they take that stage, they ignite me,” Okla said. “[Community] is not just physical proximity to people. It isn’t even shared language, or shared culture… it isn’t even bloodline. The meaning of community is when we belong to each other, and I just want to say how proud and honored I am to be a part of this community.”
After the speeches, students in the Intermezzo Orchestra played a few songs, including Golden from K-Pop Demon Hunters. Aiello gave his thoughts on the performance of unusual pieces with traditionally formal instruments.
“I’m excited to share with the guests the music we’ve been working on–some of it does have a Korean theme, we’re playing a piece by a Korean-American composer, we’re playing a couple of K-Pop songs,” Aiello said. “I’m just excited for the audience to hear music in that respect that maybe they’re not traditionally used to hearing an orchestra play.”
After Intermezzo performed, there was an auction led by Okla for the Fairmont Miramar Experience, valued at $1,760 and sold for $2,000. Samo’s Philharmonic Orchestra performed next, followed by the Symphony Orchestra. There were a few Korean works played to allude to the upcoming South Korea tour. The event concluded just after 9 p.m.. Sinfonia Orchestra Cello player Asher Spearman shared his satisfaction with the orchestra’s performance.
“It was the first time I’ve gotten to do [Spaghetti and Strings]. It was a really cool concert, it’s not like anything else we do throughout the year and it’s much more intimate and personal than all of our other concerts,” Spearman said.