An enthusiastic audience responded with generous applause to the performance of students who were among the first-place winners of the Patriotic Song Contest sponsored earlier this year by the Orange County Department of Education. Ella Wu, a junior at JSerra High School in San Juan Capistrano, opened the program at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library by performing her composition “A Country For Us All.”
During a brief interview with USA250-OC’s Jo Ellen Chatham, Ella said entering the contest encouraged her to review early American history and stimulated her interest in our founding and civic literacy. Although she has composed more than twenty-five songs, this was her first with a patriotic theme. She looks forward to composing more.
Having studied and played the guitar since grade school, Ella also favored the audience with another of her songs, focusing on the challenges of growing up.
The “Northgate Ensemble,” a name given by Dr. Chatham to an ensemble of five students from Northgate High School in Irvine, performed “Fantasia On a Theme By Francis Scott Key,” composed by Ben Sriprapundh. After composing “Fantasia,” Ben asked four students who also participate in the school’s orchestra and marching band if they would perform the piece with him for the competition. These included brothers Peter and Brian Chen on violin, Kenzo Yamashita on cello, and Jace Jackson on the bass. Ben plays the violin.
“Fantasia” is an instrumental piece capturing the booming sounds of war as well as intermittent strains of Key’s most famous poems which became our national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Additionally, the audience was treated to the lyrics of “Land of the Free,” a hip-hop/rap tribute to America’s founding. Although its authors, Victor Noh and Devan Rosete, were unable to participate, the crowd enjoyed a reading of their lyrics, including “I love America; I’m flying like an eagle with amendments in my pocket; Living life with not pains; I know my rights; I got freedom in my veins.”
The contest was co-sponsored by Orange County Music and Dance and USA250-OC. Winning composers received cash prizes and a coaching session with professional musicians and teachers. The grand-prize winner also received a Fender guitar.
