The Marshall Middle School Instrumental Music Program presented its Winter Band Concert featuring the school’s Intermediate Band and Advanced Band on Dec. 6. (photos by John Gregory)
Band students perform brilliantly
The Marshall Middle School Instrumental Music Program, under the direction of Cameron Brown, presented its Winter Band Concert featuring the school’s Intermediate Band and Advanced Band in the school Performing Arts Center on Wednesday night, Dec. 6.
As usual, the student musicians performed in an impressive fashion, playing in complete unison. The discipline, concentration and precision were most striking.
Before each selection, certain individual students read detailed descriptions of the upcoming music during interludes.
Each of the evening’s selections had a holiday theme. The Intermediate Band was first, performing “A Christmas Proclamation,” “Hanukkah is Here,” “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” and “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”
Two of the Instrumental Music Program’s chamber ensembles performed next. The BBC (Base, Bassoon and Clarinet) performed “A Christmas Medley,” which the trio of musicians arranged themselves. BBC is comprised of Sidsadee Banchongsirichareon on clarinet, Sachin Bhajekar on bassoon and Jacob Pritchard on bass clarinet. The arrangement was magnificent.
Next was a duo named Sanchez Soundz, consisting of Gabrielle Sanchez on piano and Vincent Sanchez on cello. This brother-sister team performed “Where Are You Christmas?” Both of these skilled musicians played brilliantly as Gabrielle made the piano come alive and Vincent had the cello singing in ways nearly beyond the instrument’s capacity. The audience was in awe, most unaware that the cello had such range.
The Advanced Band then took the stage and played “Themes form the Nutcracker,” “Chanukah: The Festival of Lights Overture,” “The Legend of Greensleeves” and “A Yuletide Festival.”
The impressive aspects of the Advanced Band’s performance were the ability to hit each note exactly, as well as the group’s mastery in ending the selections exactly as one.
The evening’s performances by Advanced Band, the two ensembles and the Intermediate Band were met with hearty and appreciative applause.
