To a packed house, at least on the home side of the new gym, the Cleveland bands performed a winter band concert on Monday, November 21.
“I am always nervous of how the turnout is going to go, but Cleveland is always so good to us,” said director Erik Hermanson.
The Junior High Band (seventh and eighth graders) opened the concert with the bright number “Dance Celebration.” Next up was “The Tempest,” conducted by student teacher Anya Menk, a current GAC student and a Le Center native.
“She should have gone to Cleveland. She didn’t, but we’ll forgive her for that,” Hermanson said. “But it would have been incredible if she did because she is an amazing jazz piano player, singer, flute player, and band conductor. We have been so lucky to have her. She does an incredible job, not only for putting on a concert but the great work she does every day. We just double teamed and got as many lessons in as we could, and that just helped everyone.”
With its repeating rhythms from the woodwinds and a strong rugged sound underneath them from the brass section, “The Tempest” displayed all the fury of a violent storm. It and the first piece were by Robert W. Smith.
From there it was James Swearingens’ dramatic and triumphant fanfare “Above and Beyond.” The band closed with Sean O’Loughlin’s uplifting “Strength and Honor.”
Next, the senior high band—all 113 strong—took the stage (above).
“It’s always really fun in the fall to have everyone play together,” Hermanson said. “In the spring will be nine and 10, which meets third hour, and 11 and 12, which meets first hour. We’re really psyched that we’ve never played this together except for a few world premieres with pep band.”
Changing pace, the upperclassmen opened with Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”
“I had no idea it was going to be so much fun playing this as a runout for our incredible volleyball team this fall,” Hermanson said.
Next up, with its driving rock pulse and appealing melodies, was “Pokemon.” From there, it was a tribute to Queen with a medley of “We Will Rock You,” “Another One Bites the Dust,” “We are the Champions” and “A Crazy Little Thing Called Love.”
Featuring techno elements, Rihanna’s megahit “We Found Love (in a hopeless place), was the next tune performed by the Senior High Band. After that was “The Cold Play Combo,” directed by Menk. It included “Lost,” “A Sky Full of Stars,” “Via La Vida” and “Clocks.”
The concert concluded with Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.”
Jr. High Band
Jr. High Band
Jr. High Band
Jr. High Band
Jr. High Band
Jr. High Band
Jr. High Band
Jr. High Band
Sr. High Band
Sr. High Band
Sr. High Band
Sr. High Band
Sr. High Band
Sr. High Band
Sr. High Band
Sr. High Band