Saline MI
12-10-2025 4:47pm

Saline Music Students Preview Masterworks Concert

Students from Saline High School's music programs previewed the upcoming Masterworks Concert for the Saline Board of Education Tuesday.

The Masterworks Concert features Elaine Hagenberg's Illuminare and other songs of the season. The concert is at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 16.  The Saline High School Choirs, Chamber Orchestra, Ten Tones, Hornet Harmonies and Chorsmen will perform at the free concert.

The preview was given by the Chamber Orchestra and Chamber Choir.

Matthew Briere, director of the Chamber Orchestra, said the Masterworks Concert gives students a chance to collaborate.

"The music department works really hard together to provide students the chance to work hard in rehearsals, solve problems, learn new skills, grow as learners and perform great works of art," Briere said.

Director of Choirs Sarah Deas said most schools don't have anything like a Masterworks Concert.

"The combination of strings with voices is just magical," Deas said. "Our ability to perform that opens up a ton of incredible repertoire - modern music as well as throughout history."

This year's music, by Elaine Hagenberg, was purchased with the help of the Foundation for Saline Area Schools. She's a young, American composer. Her work, Illuminare, is five movements. The students perform the first movement in the video above.

"The piece is about light, light breaking through darkness, which is perfect for this time of year, as we come up to the solstice," Deas said.

Briere took a moment to highlight the accomplishments of student musicians in the fall.

"In my 15 years at Saline High School, I have been so fortunate to see so many of the brightest and the best of Saline come through the music department," Briere said. "These students would not be able to thrive like they do without the infrastructure and the spaces the district has provided. And that's the beautiful thing here. We give every student a chance at music, including our 330 brand new, fifth-grade band or orchestra students that started this fall at Heritage."

Briere thanked the Board of Education and for continuing to support music education. 

Here are the accomplishments:

  • The Saline Marching Band received a top rating at the district marching band festival.
  • Two students were named to the High School band and orchestra. Three more students received honorable mention.
  • One student was named to the high school jazz honors choir.
  • Two students were named to the high school regency honors choir.
  • Three students were named to the middle school  all state band and orchestra. Three others received honorable mentions.
  • Two students were named to the middle school all state honors choir and three students named to the middle school regional honors choirs.
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