As the final chord of the main theme from “Star Wars” resonated powerfully, the audience in John Barry Hall erupted with applause. Last Sunday, the Academy Wind Ensemble ended its 2024-2025 season with a “Star Wars” themed concert. The performance featured a diverse range of repertoire, from excerpts from the “Star Wars” soundtrack to an arrangement of Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin to La Creation du Monde, a ballet by Darius Milhaud.
For many performers, playing “Star Wars” music brought back a wave of nostalgia for their first time watching the films. Anthony Diaz ’25 reflected on the thrill of watching The Return of the Jedi as he performed the Battle of the Forest, an iconic song from the movie’s soundtrack.
“I’m a big Star Wars fan, so getting to perform amazing music by John Williams was an amazing time to play with the band and show off my clarinet skills. I was especially excited to play the Imperial March. That’s one of my favorite songs from the entire Original Trilogy. But I also really enjoyed the Battle of the Forest. I vividly remember watching Return of the Jedi. That song during the forest battle was amazing. Great fight scene, and performing it sparked joy in me,” said Diaz.
For audience members such as Maya Tomlinson ’28, the concert offered more than just entertainment—it was a vivid celebration of musical skill and the spirit of the original “Star Wars” score.
“It was absolutely amazing. Both ensembles were great—the Andover Contemporary one and the Wind Ensemble. The covers were fantastic and dramatic—very memorable and reminiscent of the original songs. It was a really good homage to the original movies,” said Tomlinson.
As the ensemble’s last concert of the year, graduating senior Diaz reflected on his time with the music program, expressing gratitude for the challenges he faced and the opportunity to perform alongside passionate musicians.
“As a senior, I feel very appreciative of performing in the band. Personally, I’ve thought of my Andover experience and what I want to leave on campus after I’m gone,” Diaz said. “I would definitely like to leave [my musical talents] here, especially for people watching these performances and hopefully inspiring them to watch more concerts when I’m gone. Musically, joining this band has greatly helped with clarinet experience and performance skills so I’m really glad I got to play for a band as great as this.”
Cyrus Law ’27, a clarinetist in the Wind Ensemble, shared his thoughts on performing “Star Wars” music for the first time, highlighting the excitement of playing such iconic pieces.”The Star Wars score has this grand cinematic quality, and playing those pieces with the band made it feel like we were part of something much bigger. The energy during ‘The Imperial March’ was especially powerful, it really brought the whole performance to life. Preparing for something like this goes beyond just practicing the music, it’s about connecting with the emotion behind it. For Star Wars, you’re playing music that represents iconic scenes and characters, so you have to immerse yourself in those moments. It made each performance feel more meaningful,” said Law.
Law shared his thoughts on how the audience’s energy can affect the performance, noting that their reactions play a significant role in fueling the musicians on stage.
“The energy from the audience really does impact how we perform. When the crowd is excited, it pushes us to give more, to put even more into each note. After ‘Princess Leia’s Theme,’ the applause felt so enthusiastic, and it gave us this boost to finish the concert even stronger. It’s amazing how music can create that connection with the audience,” said Law.
Beyond the music itself, Tomlinson emphasized the talent of the student performers and the importance of recognizing and supporting their work. While many concerts remain under-attended, she hopes that events like this one demonstrate the exceptional quality of Andover’s musical programming.
“I recommend a lot more people go to our musical performances. I feel like a lot of people don’t really understand how talented the musicians here are. We’re just so good, and we get to watch all these incredible recitals for free on a weekly basis. A lot of people don’t take advantage of that, and they should,” said Tomlinson.
