The James Hart Symphonic and Jazz Bands enjoyed an active performance calendar in March, highlighted by outstanding performances at regional adjudicated events. It began with a concert given by both groups on March 7, showcasing varied repertoire that students had been preparing for over a month, including traditional American folk music, and works by John Philip Sousa, Count Basie, and Fats Waller. The Jazz Band incorporated several improvements from its adjudicated performance at the Prairie State College Jazz Invitational in February, while the Symphonic Band received feedback and short clinics from three area directors, including HF Director of Bands Sarah Whitlock. Three days later the Symphonic Band hit the road for an afternoon performance at the SSJHSA Conference Band Festival at Columbia Central School in Steger, where they performed for four other bands in the conference. Afterwards they received critique and a very productive clinic with renowned band director David Allie (retired, formerly of Memorial Junior High School in Lansing). Students and directors alike were pleased with a successful run of a challenging program, and a rich educational experience. The very next afternoon, the Symphonic Band performed again, this time at the IGSMA District VI Organizational Contest at Central Middle School in Tinley Park. At Contest, bands are not ranked against one another, but receive a rating based on the overall quality of their playing from a panel of three judges. After an inspired performance, the band received the highest rating of Division I from all three judges, marking its second consecutive overall Division I, and third in the last four years. With this rating, the group has also qualified for the IGSMA State Festival, which it will attend in late April. These students wrapped up the month with a chamber recital on March 20, which featured all 65 Symphonic Band members divided into small ensembles of 3-6 musicians. The concert, which was a new event this year for the Hart Band program, allowed each student to shine in a more individualized spotlight, and exposed students to works by great composers, such as Bach, Bartók, Beethoven, and Telemann, among others. Leave a Reply. |
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December 2019
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