STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Go on safari with Delaney Ziegman ' 19
Thornton Academy student Delaney Ziegman’ 19 performed a self-written story entitled Symphony Safari on stage with the Portland Symphony Orchestra( PSO) on Sunday, January 21, 2018. Symphony Safari was one of the PSO Discovery Concerts for Kids and was designed to provide an opportunity for families to enjoy classical music together.
In addition to writing Symphony Safari, Ziegman narrated it live on stage at the concert in front of hundreds of people. In the story, zoo animals have escaped in the woods behind a boy’ s house. The narration that accompanies each song tells the story of one of the animals.
PSO Conductor Andrew Crust contacted Ziegman to participate in this concert after seeing a play that she had written for Thornton Academy’ s student written play night in June, 2017. He provided her with the music for the show, including recognizable pieces such as the theme from Peter and the Wolf and the Harry Potter films.
Delaney ' s first passion is writing. Ziegman wrote a play entitled Complex, which was performed at the student written play night at Thornton Academy in June 2017. Fellow Thornton Academy students Zach Lachance ' 17 and Lauren Mesley ' 18 also presented plays that night.
Ziegman credits the Thornton Academy Arts Department with giving her the experience and support necessary to embark on these ambitious projects. David Hanright, theater teacher at Thornton Academy, inspired her to write her first play.
“ Thornton Academy welcomed me in right away. The TA Players are a second family to me. Sometimes I take it for granted how great the people are,” Ziegman said.
Delaney Ziegman narrates live on stage at the Portland Symphony Orchestra
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Story by Katy Nicketakis · Photo Courtesy of Portland Symphony Orchestra