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Canyon School District elementary orchestras perform "Monster Concert" at Butler Middle School
Summary
Students from about half of Canyon School District's elementary orchestra programs performed a combined “Monster Concert” at Butler Middle School, playing classical, folk and popular arrangements and ending with an encore to allow staged photo opportunities, officials said.
Dr. Mindy Curtis, Canyon School District's Beverly Taylor Shorten's art elementary specialist, opened an elementary orchestra “Monster Concert” at Butler Middle School, welcoming families and saying the combined program brought together about half of the district's elementary orchestra schools.
The concert showcased short arrangements of classical and folk pieces, with students who had rehearsed in their home schools all year playing together for the first time that day. "Our elementary orchestra program in Canyon School District is so fantastic," Dr. Curtis said. "Some of them picked up an instrument for the first time at the beginning of the school year."
June Christensen, who conducted the program's first piece, said the concert theme focused on "finding joy in music." "We are so excited for our district monster concert this year here at Butler Middle School," Christensen said. The program included simplified and ensemble arrangements of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony theme ("Ode to Joy"), a Bach chorale, Vivaldi's Spring (arranged in seven parts for different levels), John Ryan's polka, Greensleeves, Aaron Copland's use of "Simple Gifts," a Festive March and short blues and fiddle tunes.
Teachers and lead instructors rotated conducting duties. Dr. Curtis identified Joanne Andres as the lead teacher who guided the photo opportunities at the concert's end so families could come forward in small groups for pictures and a repeat performance of several pieces. A teacher from Oak Hollow, identified in the program as Miss Halvison, arranged the concert-specific seven-part version of Vivaldi's Spring so students at every level could participate.
Organizers said students had rehearsed at their own schools throughout the year but had "only practiced together just tonight," a detail underscoring the one-time rehearsal before the combined performance. Photo-op logistics were run by the lead teacher: two schools were called at a time to come forward for staged photos while the orchestra replayed selected pieces to provide "action shots" of students playing their instruments.
The performance was recorded by the district's CSD TV; Christensen closed by noting the broadcast production, saying, "This has been a CSD TV broadcast production for students by students." Dr. Curtis thanked parents, teachers, school and district administrators — including Superintendent Dr. Rick Robbins — and the hosting Butler Middle School for supporting the program.
Students and families were invited to the staged photo opportunities after the performance and to enjoy the final encore, a repeat of the opening "Ode to Joy" arrangement that added a fourth part for the finale.
