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Canyon School District elementary orchestras perform 'Monster Concert' at Butler Middle School
Summary
Students from multiple Canyon School District elementary schools performed a District "Monster Concert" at Butler Middle School featuring 12 prepared pieces and a final set for family photo ops; teachers and district leaders praised students' rapid progress in the year-long music program.
Event emcee, the concert host for Canyon School District, opened the District "Monster Concert" at Butler Middle School, saying, "We're so grateful that you guys are here, and we're so grateful to have you guys supporting your kids in music in the elementary schools." The program brought together students from across the district to perform a 12-song program and a short encore of three to four songs for parents to take photos.
"We are so excited for our District Monster concert this year," said Miss Emer, the first conductor for the elementary orchestra portion, announcing the concert theme as "finding joy in music." The evening included a mix of beginner and advanced arrangements ranging from Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" to simplified Bach chorales, folk tunes such as "Greensleeves," a polka, a tango/cha-cha medley and an arrangement of Vivaldi's "Spring." Several pieces were arranged at differing difficulty levels so students at different stages could perform the same repertoire on their own level.
Program organizers noted the rapid progress of many students: the emcee said some players "had an instrument in their hand for the very first time this September or this August." The emcee also told families the group first played together earlier that day at about 5:10 p.m., and that district video staff were recording the concert for later viewing on CSD TV.
Joanne Andrews, identified in remarks as the district's lead orchestra teacher, attended to support teachers though her students were not part of that evening's set. "We have the very, very best orchestra teachers in Canyon School District," the emcee said, thanking teachers and administrators for program support. The emcee also identified "Doctor Rick Robbins, our superintendent," as present in the audience.
Teachers highlighted ensemble-building techniques used in the concert: advanced students played added parts on repeats while beginners performed foundational lines; one number used pizzicato to imitate popping; another piece used a 12-bar blues progression. Mrs. Halverson, an orchestra teacher from Oak Hollow, prepared a multi-part arrangement of the Vivaldi selection so students at different levels could participate.
The concert concluded with the same theme that opened the program, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony "Ode to Joy," this time with an added fourth part. After the formal program, the emcee invited parents onstage for staged photo opportunities and said that CSD TV had produced the broadcast "for students by students."
