Spring Concert: Marcellus Senior High School Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Jazz Ensemble

The Marcellus Schools Fine Arts Department spring concert season got off to a very meaningful start as the Marcellus High School Jazz Ensemble, Concert Band, and Symphonic Band performed in concert on May 9, 2011 in the Groeling Auditorium. The Symphonic Band, under the direction of Michael J. Cirmo, opened the concert with two selections that included “Persistence” and “Concertino, Op. 26 for Clarinet and Band (Catie Nonenmacher soloist on clarinet). The Concert Band, directed by Cirmo, performed “Slavonic Dance No. 8”, “With Quiet Courage”, “Prelude and Fugue in Bb Major”, “Under the Sea”, and “ American Riversongs”. The MHS Jazz Ensemble got toes tapping and hands clapping with spirited performances of “Hard Right”, “Take Five”, and “Afro Blue”. Soloists during the Jazz Ensemble set included Jesse Garn/trumpet, Emily Gascon/tenor sax, Anthony Delia/trombone, Angela Pugliese/alto sax, Stu Synakowski/drums, and Brian Tanguay/guitar. The Symphonic Band returned to the stage to perform “Shortcut Home”, Armenian Dances Part I, and An American Elegy. The spotlighted selection of the evening was the very moving and meaningful “An American Elegy by Frank Ticheli. The performance included a slide show created by senior band members Zoe Mullan-Stout and Sarah Glose. An American Elegy was composed by Frank Ticheli in memory of those who lost their lives at Columbine High School in April of 1999, and to honor the survivors. The moving musical piece took on special meaning for the Marcellus High School educational community as Rachel’s Challenge” was hosted by the school this past December 2010. Rachel Scott was the first person killed at Columbine and “Rachel’s Challenge” was established in her honor “to inspire, equip, and empower every person to create a permanent positive culture change in their school, business, and community by starting a chain reaction of kindness and compassion.” Mullan Stout and Glose used Scott’s words and drawing to create a moving visual accompaniment for the emotional “An American Elegy”. Nick Stogsdill soloed off stage on trumpet. As tradition would have it, Cirmo honored the following senior band members to close the concert: Jeff Ames, Jimmy Carlton, Chris Charles, Derrick Cosco, Annie Dailey, Anthony Delia, Chris Files, Jesse Garn, Emily Gascon, Jacob Ginestro, Sarah Glose, Megan Grosholz, Tyler Hancock, Alex Irby, Sophie Jackson, Rebecca Keeler, Chelsey Mollin, Aaron Murphy, Nicole Nolan, Catie Nonenmacher, Joelle Orecki, Emily Pawlewicz, Mary Perry, Eddie Powers, Veronica Raymond, Allysse Schweitzer, Zoe Mullan Stout, Nick Stogsdill, Bryan Swierczek, Zach Wiley, Nathaniel Scripa, Elizabeth Zimmer.