Wakefield-Marenisco Schools hold spring concerts

By CHARITY SMITH

csmith@yourdailyglobe.com

Wakefield - A large crowd filed into the Wakefield-Marenisco gymnasium twice on Tuesday to hear students in the school's music program perform in their spring concert. The elementary students performed in the afternoon and the junior and senior high school band students performed in the evening.

The afternoon concert featured K-5 students singing songs such as "My Country Tis of Thee," "Follow My Rhythms", "Banana Smoothie" and "Thunder." Then, the sixth grade band performed a selection of four songs including "Eye of the Tiger."

The evening performance featured the junior and senior high school bands performing both together and independently. The junior high band started the evening performances with the Swashbuckler's March and later performed a piece from Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones. This was followed by the senior high school band performance. Among other selections, the group performed "Florentiner" (Grand Marcia Italiana) and some of the music from "Wicked".

During the senior high band performance, awards were handed out to the senior students. Then Wakefield-Marenisco band director Isaac Boehnlein announced the winners of three national awards. Keely Spencer was selected for the Directors Award. Catherine Baker was selected for the John Philip Sousa Award and the National School Choral Award went to Kara Dums. Although the school no longer offers choir, Dums participated in choir from grades 7-11 when it was offered by the district.

"During those five years, Kara showed extreme dedication and work ethic to the choir. Even when the choir class conflicted with required classes (English and history), Kara took the music home, practiced, memorized music and joined the choir class a couple times to practice with the rest of the group before performances," said Boehnlein. "Throughout her time in choir, she was the leader of the group, and the person everyone looked up to. Kara was an exemplary choir student."

To close the concert, the junior and senior high school bands then performed the "Phantom of the Opera Medley" together. Many audience members expressed their excitement for the combined performance and the song choice. The bands then closed with an unannounced performance of songs from "Journey." Boehnlein said that he just wanted to end the concert with a more upbeat song.

Boehnlein said that both groups rehearse daily, but not usually together. He said that both groups rehearsed the "Phantom of the Opera" and "The Best of Journey" separately during their own class time, but only had two rehearsals together to perform those pieces at the concert.

"The students gave an amazing performance from start to finish," said Boehnlein. "Both groups gave very musical and exciting performances that were thoroughly enjoyed by enthralled audience members. The growth these students have shown over the course of this year, and their performance last night, made (me) one very proud band director."