High school, middle school offer band concert Feb. 10

ARLINGTON — Hundreds of music students will perform in the Byrnes Performing Arts Center when Arlington High School bands will be joined by Arlington’s two middle school bands in a concert that starts 7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 10 at the Byrnes Performing Arts Center, 18821 Crown Ridge Blvd. in Arlington. Admission is free and doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Post Middle School’s band will perform James Swearingen’s “Brookpark Overture” and “Pandora” by Randall Standridge, directed by Kipp Otterness.

Haller Middle School’s band director Joe Horsak will lead his 37-member eighth-grade band in “Carpe Diem” by Rob Grice and “In Darkest Night” by Barry E. Kopetz.

AHS Band Director John Grabowski visited the Post and Haller bands Jan. 28 to rehearse “At Sight March” by Harold Bennett, arranged by Larry Clark, which the two bands are performing together, directed by Grabowski.

Grabowski will conduct the AHS Concert Band, which is comprised of 74 freshmen performing “Symphonic Overture” by Charles Carter and “March of the Grand High Poobah” by Holsinger. The 50-member Symphonic Band, grades 10-12, will play “Bombasto March” by Farrar and Suite Provencale by Van der Roost.

The Wind Ensemble features 49 students in grades 10-12 who auditioned to be a part of the group. They will perform “Variations on a Korean Folk Song” by John Barnes Chance and movements two and four of “Second Suite in F,” by Gustav Holst.

Of these 173 high school band students, there are two jazz bands that also play at high school concerts and jazz concerts. All of the high school bands perform together at football and basketball games. Add them to the eighth-grade students in attendance and you will hear 242 musicians in concert on this night.

“The eighth-graders are excited about performing with the high school bands,” said a parent member of the Band Boosters, Marlene Lewis.

“Our kids are fortunate to work with all of Arlington’s band directors,” Lewis said, pointing out that Grabowski reaps the benefits of getting new students in the high school band program who have been inspired and encouraged by their middle school and elementary school band teachers.

“By the time they reach high school, the kids in band have already developed a love of music,” Lewis said.

“G, as the kids call him, is rewarded by the respect of his students as he leads them into increasing levels of excellence. The quality of their work is a testament to his superb ability to teach and to share his passion for music.”

For information and directions on how to find the Byrnes Performing Arts Center call AHS at 360-618-6300 or visit www.ByrnesPerformingArts.org.