What a Wonderful Year So Far in the Maywood Music Department
Launch the media gallery 1 playerTo start the year off we had three students audition for the Nebraska All-State Ensembles. Although none of our students were selected to participate this year, we are geared up and ready for next year, now knowing more of what to expect and what needs to be done in order to get students there! Another huge success the music department can boast about is the University of Kearney Honor Band and Choir Clinic. This clinic has become one of the most prestigious audition-only ensembles in the state coming in behind the All-State ensembles. Over 1000 students from across the state audition for a chance to be in one of the three choirs, or two band ensembles. Maywood had nine students audition, and five of the students were selected to take part in the ensembles. Tyler Esslinger and BreAnna Kahler will be playing in the Festival Band on clarinet; Marisa Foster is down as an alternate for the Festival Band on alto saxophone. For choir, Brooke Moore will be singing in the Honor Choir, and Lydia Fritsche will be singing in the Women’s Choir. The Clinic will take place in Kearney on January 27th, 2014. The students will spend the day rehearsing with their groups and will put on a concert that evening.
The 7th-12th grade band has had a busy year. We took part in the Wellfleet Fall Festival and played in the parade. Next year we are planning on marching instead of riding on floats and hope to increase our parade appearances. We also made it to all but one home football game and supported our Tigers with an awesome Pep Band!
The last half of the semester was spent preparing for our Christmas program. Words cannot express how proud of each and every student I am for their performance during the concert! The elementary students put on a great show of familiar, classic, and humorous Christmas songs and looked absolutely fabulous all dressed up in their Christmas best! The ensembles all looked very professional in their black and white attire, and also did an excellent job sharing their talents with us and gave everyone there an enjoyable instrumental and vocal performance. However, the Grand Finale of combined elementary, vocal, and instrumental ensembles was definitely a hit! We look to keep this type of finale as a sort of tradition in years to come!
After a successful Christmas program on December 12th, the students are enjoying a little rest and relaxation time as we get the music classroom organized and everything ready to start fresh after the break. Next semester we have our RPAC clinics (vocal and instrumental) as well as District music competition to prepare for, which I have no doubt will be successful as well! Thank you all for your continued support of the Maywood Music Department!