Willowbrook hosts spring Orchestra and Guitar concert, which celebrated diversity

Pictured are members of the Willowbrook Orchestra and Guitar groups, along with the Zawaternik Polish Highlander Violin Ensemble. Those groups performed during the spring concert on March 20, which focused on celebrating and embracing the school’s diversity.

On March 20, the Willowbrook Orchestra and Guitar groups performed their spring concert, which focused on celebrating and embracing the school’s diversity.

The concert featured pieces from Mexico, Ireland, France, Thailand, Poland, Italy, the Caribbean, Korea and America, and the student-musicians were very involved in the process of selecting the music that was performed. They participated in a survey and shared the culture with which they identify. They also had the opportunity to submit music selections.

The Orchestra was joined by Zawaternik Polish Highlander Violin Ensemble to perform selections from the Polish highlands. Members of that group range in age from 6 to 16 and meet once a week in Lemont.

District 88 – comprised of Willowbrook and Addison Trail high schools – has about 40 languages and more than 30 countries represented among its families, and almost half of the nearly 4,000 pupils speak a language other than English at home. The concert was a way to recognize that diversity.