Armstrong Hosts Regional Music Festival

 

by Jonathan Weaver

Nearly 250 teenage musicians performed in Armstrong Junior/Senior High’s auditorium Friday evening.

The musicians were chosen to participate in Pennsylvania Music Educators Association’s (PMEA) annual District 3 Band Fest.

In addition to more than 30 students from the Armstrong School District, student musicians also came from schools in Clarion, Clearfield, Indiana, Jefferson, Venango and Westmoreland counties.

Armstrong Junior-Senior High Band Director Denise Gamble coordinated Friday’s event as Armstrong was the host school. This was the first year ninth grade students were invited to participate.

She said Band Fest is meant to educate and prepare junior high students for high school music.

“There are a lot of great music festivals in Pennsylvania, (but) in junior high, we don’t get the opportunity to go to the regional and state festivals – that’s why this festival exists,” Gamble said.

Gamble said she had help via other band instructors and nearly a dozen high school musicians.

District 3 Band Fest Coordinator Rebecca Bracken-Bouch - a teacher at two schools in the Purchase Line School District - explained festivals are not always the same month each year due to holidays, other music festivals and standardized testing.

“It’s kind of hard to pick a date – out of all the open Friday’s, once you get past testing, musical season and all the high school festivals and winter, you kind of thing to yourself ‘What’s left?,’” Bracken-Bouch said. “It’s been in March, we’ve had a couple in February, the one I hosted (in 2013) was April 12, so it just depends.”

Last year’s Band Fest was in Cranberry, in March.

Students Friday were split into two bands – sixth and seventh graders in one and eighth and ninth graders in the other.

Sixth/Seventh Grade Conductor Dennis Emert (a freelance French horn instrumentalist) was asked to conduct five songs and couldn’t resist the opportunity.

“(Gamble) is a friend of mine and asked if I would do it – so I said sure. We’ve been friends for years and have played horn together in different orchestras and bands, so when she asked me, I couldn’t say no,” Emert said.

Formerly both the PMEA District 3 and District 1 presidents before being named state president, Emert is also an elementary teacher at two Fox Chapel Area schools. He has conducted a handful of band festivals in the past, and was pleased during practice with his student ensemble.

“It’s a lot of work, but its fun. It’s rewarding,” Emert said.

Robert Morris University Director of Bands and Performing Ensembles Elisabeth Charles conducted the eighth and ninth grade band in five selections.

West Shamokin Band Instructor Lora Strayer brought eight junior/senior high students to Band Fest – four for each ensemble. She held school auditions before submitting students to be considered.

“I was very happy that they all got in,” Strayer said. “This is West Shamokin’s first year in a very long time participating in Band Fest, so it’s nice to be back and represent our school as well.”

West Shamokin students practiced BandFest music during activity period individually or in groups during the last four months.

Strayer, Dayton Elementary’s music teacher during the 2014-15 school year, saw some familiar students from Dayton Friday, but said West Shamokin allows her to fulfill her lifelong goal of being a high school music teacher

She agreed Band Fest has a lot of similarities to other county festivals.

“I think it’s similar – there is just a different venue of districts involved,” Strayer said. “For example, junior county band would just be the schools in Armstrong County, and it’s really nice for these students to be able to play with students that are in other counties and get a different perspective on how all of Western PA is doing musically.”

New Dayton Elementary Band/Chorus Teacher Patti Sands brought three sixth grade musicians – Clarinetist Katrina Renfro, Baritone Dale Nicoll and Alto Saxophonist Martina Houser - to Band Fest.

A former Ford City teacher, this is the first time Sands has taught band.

“This is a learning year for me, but (it’s been) wonderful. I’ve enjoyed it more than I ever thought I would,” Sands said. “I’ve asked (Strayer) a ton of questions throughout the year, as well as other teachers in the district. They’ve all been really helpful.

“I still have a lot to learn, but I’ve come a long way.”

Gamble said comparatively, only about 60 students were not chosen to participate.

“The directors maybe submit 10-30 names per school, and we can’t fit them all mainly because there (is not) room on the stage, Gamble said.

“But, they’re all very deserving.”

Bandfest ended with a 7PM concert Friday evening.

Next year’s student musicians will travel to Dubois.

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