Greenwich High School Band Benefit Concert is Free, Donations Appreciated!

The Greenwich High School Band will take the stage in the Greenwich High School Performing Arts Center for the Annual Band Benefit Concert on Wednesday, November 2nd at 7:30 p.m.

If you haven’t had the opportunity to attend a concert or visit the new Performing Arts Center you are in for a delightful evening when more than 170 students will perform in various band ensembles.

screen-shot-2016-10-21-at-4-15-58-pmJohn Yoon and Ben Walker with students  on the first day of school, Aug 31, 2016 Credit: Leslie Yager

The evening will consist of performances by the Jazz and Wind Ensembles and the Concert and Symphony Bands. When the Jazz Ensemble takes the stage the audience will be entertained by two classic jazz pieces, “Love is Here to Stay” by Ira and George Gershwin and the familiar “Boogie Stop Shuffle” by Charles Mingus. The Concert Band will perform James Swearingen’s “Invicta” which is equally exciting for the performers and audience. The Symphony Band will play one of the most famous and best loved Paso Doble ever written “El Relicario” by Jose Padilla and the masterpiece “Emperata” “Overture” by Claude T. Smith.

The evening will conclude with the Wind Ensemble’s performance of the crowd pleaser “National Emblem March” by Bagley as well as masterpieces “Ave Verum Corpus” by Mozart, “Italian in Algiers” by Rossini, and “Festival” by Clifton Williams.

In the past, tickets have been sold as a Band fund-raiser. However, this year the performance is free of charge and open to the public. Donations will still be accepted and are greatly appreciated, as the funds raised will help send the students on a competition trip in the spring.

This year the Band will head to Orlando, Florida. According to John Yoon, Director of the GHS Band Program, “These trips are a great opportunity for the students in the program to perform in front of nationally renowned judges who will provide invaluable feedback. In addition, the students will be exposed to performances by groups from other parts of the country”.

The GHS Band Benefit Concert promises to be an entertaining night of music. It is a wonderful opportunity for the Greenwich Community to enjoy a free concert in the new GHS Performing Arts Center, while supporting the GHS Band Program.