Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Music topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Eastmont Middle students showcase ensembles; concert and band assessments earn superior ratings
Summary
Students at Eastmont Middle School performed multiple ensembles in a school concert where concert orchestra received a superior rating and concert band earned a 1-minus superior rating. The evening included beginning ensembles, jazz band performances, named soloists and a livestream by CST TV.
Eastmont Middle School students performed a program of band and orchestra pieces at a school concert where several ensembles highlighted the year’s progress and recent assessment results.
Mrs. Wright, Eastmont’s band and orchestra teacher, opened the evening and said, “These kids have been working so, so hard all year long.” She introduced beginning band and orchestra players, the concert orchestra, concert band and the school’s jazz band across a program of mostly middle-school repertoire.
The concert featured multiple ensemble levels. Mrs. Wright said the beginning band — which she described as two of her classes, a brass and percussion class and a woodwinds class — will play three pieces after only starting instruments in August. She also noted that beginning band now includes four saxophone players. The beginning orchestra performed two pieces.
Mrs. Wright announced that the concert orchestra had recently attended an orchestra assessment in February and “received a 1, which is a superior rating,” and asked the audience to applaud their performance. Later she noted the concert band had received a 1-minus at its assessment, which she described as “still a superior rating.”
Soloists and featured performers were named during the program. The jazz band’s first chart, “Back of the Shack” (Tom Walter), featured Briggs on tenor sax and Jacob on trumpet and included Strider on piano. The jazz band’s second chart, “Martian Square Dance” (Dean Sorensen and Bruce Pearson), included solos by Isaiah (alto sax), Eliza (trombone), Savannah (alto sax), Emma and Jacob (trumpet) and Luke (electric guitar).
Other works announced during the evening included “Eagles Summit March” and “Clash of Warriors” by the beginning band; “Medieval Kings” and “Lives of Bizbee” by beginning orchestra; “Luminescence” (Alan Lee Silva), “Hunter’s Moon” (Doug Spada) and “Boreas” (Todd Parish) by concert orchestra; “All for One, One for All” (Carol Bridal Chambers) and “Moonlight Bliss” (Adrienne Beason) by concert band; and “Fireball” (Brian Beck) as the program’s final piece.
A student reader provided program notes for “Moonlight Bliss,” saying the piece is “a reminder to join the present moment, for the moment will never be present again.” Mrs. Wright thanked administrators, parents, guardians and CST TV for livestreaming and recording the concert, addressing “Justin” by name for CST TV’s assistance.
Practical notes included that the jazz band meets Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7 a.m. before school for rehearsals, which Mrs. Wright mentioned when introducing that ensemble. She also told the audience that, as a treat for students’ efforts, Dairy Queen was giving out free vanilla cones that night.
The program closed with a final performance and a two-fold thanks from Mrs. Wright to the students and support staff. She asked the audience to drive safely as they left the auditorium.
