GENTRY - Thirty-five members of the Gentry High School band were invited to practice alongside University of Arkansas concert band members as part of a semester-long partnership between the school district and the university.

Benjamin Chamberlain, U of A associate director of bands, has been working with Karri Altrogge, director of the Gentry band, throughthe Adopt-A-Classroom program of the Education Renewal Zone at the university.

Gentry band students were to observe a wind ensemble rehearsal in Janzen Hall yesterday, visit the Arkansas Union, and rehearse side-by-side with the U of A concert band on pieces to include Bach Chorales, Old Scottish Melody (conducted by Karri Altrogge of Gentry) and Overture for Winds.

The Education RenewalZone in the College of Education and Health Professions established the Adopt-A-Classroom program to allow K-12 teachers to work in their classrooms with university faculty and staff.

Chamberlain spent the day in the school Feb. 22 and found the students enthusiastic and willing to try new things. The rehearsal with the U of A concert band is the first time many of the students performed pieces with full instrumentation.

News, Pages 11 on 03/13/2013