Michael Thompson

HCP Orchestra students and director Kelli Taylor went to hear Broadway singer and Godfather III movie star Franc D’Ambrosio sing with the UCO Orchestra for the Songs of the Silver Screen performance on October 9. From left: Seth Hill, Zach Borba, Kayleigh Peteres, Clayton Mitchell, Kelli Taylor, Rachel Howard, Franc D’Ambrosio, Tessa Black, Austin Thompson and Elizabeth Brosius.

Orchestra director Kelli Taylor and several orchestra students went to see Broadway singer Franc D’Ambrosio perform with the UCO Symphony Orchestra on October 9.

“I’d never heard of D’Ambrosio before,” said Junior Zach Borba, “but whenever I listened to him I thought he was actually really good and I really enjoyed it.”

Freshman Kayleigh Peters enjoyed D’Ambrosio’s performance of several songs from The Phantom of the Opera. She, along with Taylor, was also touched by D’Ambrosio’s encore performance of “Danny Boy,” which left much of the audience in tears.

The trip influenced Peters’ plans about her future with orchestra performance.

“I really, really want to be in an orchestra in college just because the experience of it all is awesome,” Peters said.

After the show, the group of orchestra students had the opportunity to meet D’Ambrosio, get autographs, and take pictures.

“He was very nice,” Taylor said. “He even took the time to talk to us. We were smitten; even the boys.”

Senior Clayton Mitchell was one of these “smitten” boys. Although Mitchell appreciated the performance of the orchestra, D’Ambrosio received the most admiration.

“[D’Ambrosio] was so crazy good it wasn’t even funny,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell, like Peters, was a Phantom fan, especially enjoying the song “Music of the Night.” Overall, he found the trip to be a great experience.

“It was something I’d never done and I never really thought it would be as interesting as it was,” Mitchell said.

Sophomore Tessa Black said that the experience definitely influenced her feelings about orchestra.

“The more you practice and the better you get the cooler things you get to do,” Black said.