DECATUR -- The night was filled with beautiful music as sounds of John Phillip Sousa and Timothy Broege filled the air around the Decatur High School cafeteria on May 22.
The Decatur beginning and symphonic bands, under the direction of Kristin Wages, performed their final concert of the 2013-14 school year.
The beginning band, made up of sixth graders from Northside Elementary, played the Latin American folk song "La Cucaracha," "Theme and Variations" by Timothy Broege, and "Hot Fudge Sundae" by David Martin.
The beginning band members include Emmy Lee, Sofia Killebrew, Diana Reza, Natalia Rodriguez, Javier Perez, Kyrie Beck, Aubrey Bartlett, Michael Boehm, Shanraa Eads, Tyler Neal, Maddie Alleman, Ashlynn Malone and Summer Gunter.
The young group struggled at first, suffering from an affliction that all musicians fight as they go before an audience, stage fright. But soon they settled down and began to enjoy the experience. Listeners to this young band could tell that Wages will have a group of talented upstarts in the coming years.
The symphonic band was the star attraction for the night. The award-winning band performed works by Schisse, Smith, Martha, Curnow, Sousa and Gainger. Ger Vang and Isabel Rodriguez performed clarinet solos during a piece composed by Robert Smith entitled "In a Gentle Rain."
The symphonic band members include Ger Vang, Shaney Lee, Kaitlyn Smith, Sammy Skaggs, Isabel Rodriguez, Sara Moppin, Lizzie Haisman, Mattie Ramsey, Jafett Puga, Levi Newman, Maliton Hurtado, Stephanie Suaste, McKinzee Swaim, James Carr, Tyler Haisman, Isaiah Mclver, Tim Skaggs, Mailee Xong, Ryan Shaffer, Stormy Jackson, Dylan Frydrychowski and Braden Carnes.
At the conclusion of the concert, Wages recognized several members of the symphonic band for their contributions to the 2013-14 Decatur High music program.
General News on 06/04/2014