As the year is getting wrapped up, so is band as the school’s instrumentalists had their final concert and Award Ceremony on Thursday, June 7.
To open the night, Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble played together the fantastic song “Chorale and Shaker Dance “by John Zdechlik, conducted by student teacher Ben Fowler.
Next was the Chamber Winds band playing “Incantation and Dance” by John Barnes Chance, conducted by Fowler. The band received this about two months prior to the concert and had been practicing since.
The last song, “Suite from Video Games Live,” arranged by Ralph Ford, is a three-song mix of “Halo,” “Civilization IV,” and “Kingdom Hearts,” all very different songs with different beats that flowed well together that had a video playing along with it.
The concert was very emotional for many of the band students as it would be their last concert in high school.
When describing the last concert, bassoon player and senior Keelan Reynolds said, “It felt like every other concert, except better. The concert is what made me realize I’m graduating in less than a week.”
After the songs were finished, the band students were excused to the audience as the Awards Ceremony began. It started with a PowerPoint of the band preparing for the year and practicing throughout the year. Following the presentation was the giving of awards. For each band, three awards were given: The Most Inspirational, The Most Improved, and The Most Outstanding, which were voted among the students.
Three more awards were given to the entire band of Most Inspirational, Most Improved, and Most Outstanding chosen by director Darin Faul.
Band students were called up on stage and given certificates for helping out with band outside of school.
Lucy Schermer was recognized for her many solos and her awards in the contests she’s entered this year.
Flowers were then given out to those who helped out greatly to the band community, including to Fowler as well.
Senior Terrah Short was brought onto stage to speak on behalf of the students their gratitude for having Faul and Fowler as teachers, explaining that they were so different and had such different teaching styles that it really helped all the students to learn.
“Mr. Faul isn’t just a band teacher, he’s a teacher in general. He’s there for you if you need anything,” Reynolds said.
“He’s nice, unlike a lot of the student teachers we’ve had,” Reynolds praised when talking about his kind-hearted band student teacher.
Senior band students were called up on stage to recount their favorite memory of band, some of which were the same, and others were completely different, ranging from boxes to dancing.
Reynolds was inspired to stay in band because, “One: Mr. Faul is a great teacher. And two: I really just enjoy it.”
As the ceremony came to an end, Faul presented “Oh, The Places You’ll Go” by Dr. Seuss as a final goodbye to the seniors, telling them he knows they will make it far.