Middle school musicians find the beat

BY PAT FARNELLI

Talented middle school students of northeasternPennsylvaniahad an opportunity to shine at the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association’s District 9 Band Fest, held Friday, Mar. 30, at the Western Wayne High School Auditorium.

Wayne Smith was the guest conductor for the Seventh and Eighth Grade Band, and Cory Neville was the guest conductor for the Fifth and Sixth Grade Band.

Smith is the Assistant Director for the Music Performance program at theUniversityofScranton, and recently retired from theDunmoreSchool Districtafter 35 years as a music educator.

Neville is a graduate ofWestern Wayne, and was enthusiastically received at his alma mater. He is the director of instrumental music atQuakerValleyHigh Schoolnear Pittburgh.

The program for the fifth and sixth grade band included “The Sword of Kings” by R.W. Smith, an Arthurian legend piece with medieval fanfare. A march, “Andalusia,” was followed by the more symphonic “Sanctus” by Smith/Shubert.

Probably the most interesting selection was “A Prehistoric Suite” by Paul Jennings, which had four movements, each depicting a different dinosaur: “Stegosaurus,” “Brontosaurus,” “Pterydactyl,” and “Tyrannosaurus Rex.”

The brontosaurus movement featured the slide trombones simulating the long curving necks of the gentle giants. The T Rex movement used a great deal of dissonance and unusual chords in the battle between the T Rex and another dinosaur of similar might.

The seventh and eighth grade band program was naturally more advanced in its difficulty and range of style. Seven pieces were performed, including the “New World Symphony,”  “Dreams of Victory” by Matt Conway, “Americans We March,” and “Year of the Dragon.” The musicians used authentic African instruments in
“African Adventure,” and “Just Dance Lady Gaga” included an amazing performancei by the mallet instrumentalists. “Swamp Dog Rag” concluded the concert with a jazzy ragtime sound.

Local students were among those selected as the best from their grades in the five-county District 9.

Those from Susquehanna County included:

Elk Lake: Isaac Dibble, Cody Oswald, Elizabeth Wright, Seth Tewksbury, Grasyn Bushnell, Eliza Bosscher, LaAnna Farnelli, Rebecca Warholic, Rachel Sprout, and Hanna Bennett

Forest City: Stefanie Peck, Matt Keller, Don Nguyen, Laura Statkun, Matt Tighe, and Katie Nguyen.

Montrose: Elizabeth Bennici, Allanna Rivera, Maddie Guinane, Tyler Dovin, Jacob Lutz, Grace Word, Tony Bennici, Ian Norton, Jessica Buckley, Kira Karpov, Krista Quinn, Annie Hester, Felicia Quinn, Jon Best, Alannah Sullivan, Megan McVaugh, and Kira Ricci.

Mountain View: Lucy Adams, Emmillie Miller, Kelsey Murphy, Sophia Ficarro,  Cheverly Chichura, Anna Housel, Jon Master, Elizabeth Miller, Emma Loch, Izaak Cook,  Erika Freely, Briana Frankovsky, Jamie Supancik, Stephanie Ostir, Seth Fluck, and Adam Lynn.

Susquehanna: Dylan Roe, Emily Frye, Rhiannon Potter, Rachel Serfilippi, Jessica Staros, Elizabeth Delaney, Annabelle DiNoto, Kayla Marino, Cori Glidden, and Miranda Rhone.