April 29, 2024
Upbeat popular music, jazzy tunes, and instrumental melodies reverberated in the Brownstone Canter for the Arts at 91福利 during the final two student performances of the school year. Wind Ensemble, featuring the PRCC Concert Band under the direction of Mike Bass and Jerry Pickering, was held on Tuesday, April 16. Spring Pops was held on Tuesday, April 23, featuring the Jazz Cats under the direction of Bass, and a trio of vocal groups, the Voices, the Currents, and the Rapids, under Dr. LaDona Tyson鈥檚 direction.
Wind Ensemble
The Wind Ensemble provided a variety of instrumental pieces with wood paneling along the top of the stage reflecting the vibrant sound out to the audience. Selected pieces included 鈥淕alop鈥� from Dance of the Hours by Amilcare Poncheille, 鈥淭he Cave You Fear鈥� by Michael Markowski, 鈥淐ode Talkers鈥� by Dr. Earl Fox (a local composer from Picayune), 鈥淐arpe Diem鈥� by Steven Pyter, excerpts from 鈥淭he Firebird鈥� by Igor Stravinsky and arranged by Jay Bocook, 鈥淐eltic Wedding鈥� by Jeremy Bell, and 鈥淟ight Cavalry Overture鈥� by Franz von Suppe and arranged by Henry Fillmore. The piece 鈥淧aper Cut鈥� by Alex Shapiro incorporated the use of black lights and student musicians holding up reflective papers as part of the performance.
鈥淭hese young adults have worked incredibly hard this semester to perform this music to an incredibly high standard,鈥� said Bass. 鈥淭hey have diligently prepared their parts in limited rehearsal time to produce a wonderful concert of very diverse music. We’re so very happy with their growth this semester!鈥�
Marshall McCoy is a dual-enrolled student from Pearl River Central High School who attended the concert as part of his Music Appreciation course requirement.
鈥淚 thought it was a very wonderful concert,鈥� said McCoy. 鈥淚t had a very exciting song selection and carried elements of wonder with some selections.
鈥淢y favorite piece was 鈥楢 Song for Friends鈥� by Larry Daehn. I loved Mr. Bass鈥� dedication of the song to the sophomores and super sophomores of the group. It carried very strong elements of friendship and the unbreakable bonds and adventures you experience as friends.鈥�
Spring Pops
The Voices opened the Spring Pops concert using the entire stage for their choreographed movements of the a cappella pieces. Jonathan Freeman, Noah Hartfield, Madison Mims, Jack Moeller, and Lila Reed rotated through the selections as soloists.
Selections during the first half of the performance included 鈥淗ate to Be Lame鈥� and 鈥淪houlder to Cry On鈥�, both arranged by Rob Dietz. Additional songs arranged by Wilson Smith included 鈥淎in鈥檛 My Fault鈥�, 鈥淐razy on You鈥�, and 鈥淥pen Arms.鈥�
For 鈥淟et Somebody Go鈥� arranged by Wilson Smith and 鈥淢idnight Sky鈥� arranged by Rob Dietz alumni singers joined the current members of The Voices on stage.
The Jazz Cats鈥� performance came on the heels of their participation at the Bill Evans Jazz Festival in Hammond, Louisiana, held on April 18. They were adjudicated for their performance and participated in a clinic by the featured artist, saxophonist Laura Dreyer.
鈥淩arely at the college level in band do you get ratings,鈥� said Bass. 鈥淏ut we chose to go there and be rated. I am very proud to say that they got all superior ratings from all the judges.
鈥淭hey’ve worked incredibly hard to produce these results and we’re excited and happy for them and the jazz program here at PRCC!!鈥�
Selections performed by the Jazz Cats during the second half of the concert included 鈥淢ake Swing Your Thing鈥� by Doug Beach, 鈥淥ne Note Samba鈥� arranged by Paul Murtha, 鈥淲ork Song鈥� arranged by Erik Morales, 鈥淨uality Time鈥� by Gregory Yasinisky, 鈥淚nvitation鈥� arranged by Erik Morales, 鈥淧ure and Simple鈥� by Jeff Jarvis, and 鈥淪tompin鈥� at the Savoy鈥� by Mike Kamuf. Solosits included Jacob Hodges on Alto Sax, Brandon Dufrene on Tenor Sax, Samuel Cerniglia on Trombone, Landon Berryhill on Trumpet, Joshua Perez on Guitar, Brennan Sullivan on Bass, Joe McHenry on Drums, and Dr. Andrew Gilstrap on Vibraphone/Drums.
Between selections performed by the Jazz Cats, the Voices returned to the stage with some selections featuring the all-women group, the Currents, and the all-male group, the Rapids. Soloists included Susanna Argueta, Haliey Cronin, Jollie Holcomb, Kaylyn Kelly, Madison Mims, Jack Moeller, Lila Reed, Ruthie Ramsey, Halie Slaydon, and Carlyn White.
鈥淐handelier鈥� arranged by MaryAnne Muglia, was performed by the Currents while 鈥淲ouldn鈥檛 Come Back鈥� arranged by Rob Dietz was performed by the Currents with the women of the Voices. 鈥淪ound of Silence鈥� arranged by Rob Dietz was performed by the men of The Voices and the Rapids. Other songs performed by the Voices included 鈥淲ant You Back鈥�, 鈥淒reamin鈥� with a Broken Heart鈥�, and 鈥淲omen of Country Medley鈥�, all arranged by Rob Dietz.
Ian Quinn is a freshman at Pearl River who came to the concert with several friends. They consider themselves the 鈥淏rownstone Baddy Squad鈥� as they enjoy coming to all the performances.
鈥淚 thought the evening was really jazzy,鈥� said Quinn. 鈥淭hey had a lot of variety and honestly, I could sit through another show.
鈥淢y favorite piece tonight was 鈥淥pen Arms.鈥� Lila was amazing and just knocked it out of the house.鈥�
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Article and photography (unless noted) by Laura O’Neill.
