Munger Hill 4th grade band students perform “Eye of the Tiger” at the School Committee in March, a song they will play this Saturday in “It’s Band-Tastic at WHS. (Photo submitted)
WESTFIELD – This Saturday, March 30, band students in grades 4 to 12 will be performing “It’s Band-Tastic” at 1 p.m. in the Westfield High School gymnasium, to cap off March’s “Music in the Schools” month.
WHS and Westfield Technical Academy Band Director Patrick Kennedy said a combined band of 400 to 500 students will play together in the beginning of the performance, then grade 4, then 4-6, then 5-8, then 7-12, then the combined high school band, then everybody. “It’s a lot of bodies to move,” Kennedy said.
Students will practice from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. before the concert begins.
Kennedy said the district started with fourth grade lessons a couple of years ago. Now with restructuring, the configuration is different and new, with a new lineup. “This is the first time with their schools in this configuration. It will be interesting to see how it all flows,” he said.
Along with the new configuration are two new band teachers as well. New fourth grade band teacher Jessica Pietrosanti, who started in September sees all of the fourth graders throughout the city weekly for lessons. During these lessons, she said students work to master the basic skills needed to perform on their instruments: posture, tone quality, articulation, rhythm, pitch, tempo, and embouchure, a french word meaning “mouth formation”. These skills are honed over time and create the foundation for strong performance technique on the instruments as a student progresses through the grades.
Layered with music from a variety of genres, students build the muscles and control necessary to perform on their instruments, developing their listening skills to perform music by ear as well as their ability to read musical notation, said Pietrosanti.
On Saturday afternooon, fourth grade students will perform a beautiful, simple composition by American composer, Frank Ticheli, a song that will leave the audience singing a popular tune from the 80’s, and several songs with the students from Westfield Intermediate School, Westfield Middle School, Westfield Technical Academy, and Westfield High School.
William Choe has grades 5 and 6 at the Westfield Intermediate School, and new band director Ryan Emken teachers grades 7 and 8 at Westfield Middle School.
Choe said his Intermediate School students are looking forward to the concert on Saturday. “The 5th and 6th graders at Westfield Intermediate School are very excited to participate in the concert. This is a wonderful opportunity for them to look ahead at what they can expect from band as they get older and also for them to look back and see how far they have already come. Concerts like this are a great opportunity to showcase the great work being done by students and music educators,” he said.
Emken agreed. “It’s Band-Tastic is a wonderful opportunity for our programs to unite as one and display the continuity of development from an instrumental student’s early years to the end of their public school education. Our community has a long tradition of supporting the visual and performing arts, and this is a positive demonstration of how music making can unite and lift the spirits of all who are open to the experience! I feel grateful to have the opportunity to work with such outstanding young student musicians and a group of knowledgeable, dedicated and hard working music educators from all facets of our districts Music Education Department!” he said.
WHS and WTA Band Director Patrick Kennedy with the Westfield Technical Academy band (WNG File Photo)
Kennedy, who is the secondary level lead music teacher and jazz coordinator for the Massachusetts Music Educators Assoc. (MMEA) Western District, directs the bands in both high schools. This year is the fifth year for the Westfield Technical Academy band, Kennedy said.
The concert on Saturday has something for all, from popular standards, to offerings from blockbuster films, including music from The Black Panther, Captain America and Star Wars, and ending with all 400 to 500 students playing “America the Beautiful.”
“It’s Band-Tastic” is free and open to the public, and is a great way to celebrate spring and support these budding young musicians in Westfield. The concert begins on Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Westfield High School gymnasium.
It’s Band-Tastic! Concert Program 2019
“It’s Bandtastic,” by Jerry Williams – Westfield Public Schools Combined Bands
“Ancient Trees,” by Frank Ticheli
“Eye of the Tiger,” by Frankie Sullivan & Jim Peterik, arranged by Jessica Pietrosanti –
Westfield Elementary School Band, Jessica Pietrosanti, Director
“The Lost City,” by Paul Lavender – Grades 4 through 6 Combined Bands
“Theme from Jurassic Park,” by John Williams, arranged by Michael Sweeney –
Grades 4 through 6 Combined Bands
“MOAI (Songs of the Ancient Giants),” by Michael Sweeney –
Westfield Intermediate School, William Choe, Director
“From Now On,” by Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, arranged by Paul Murtha – Grade 5-8 Combined Bands
“Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” by John Williams, arranged by Robert Longfield – Grade 5-8 Combined Bands
“Captain America,” by Alan Silvestri, arranged by Paul Murtha – Westfield Middle School Band, Ryan Emken, Director
“Tailspin,” by Rob Romeyn – Grade 7-12 Combined Bands
“Adventures,” by Ayetay Shabazz – Westfield High School and Westfield Technical Academy Bands,
Patrick Kennedy, Director
“Highlights from the Lion King,” arranged by Michael Brown
“Black Panther,” by Ludwig Gorransen, arranged by Michael Sweeney
“America, the Beautiful,” by Katherine Lee Bates & Samuel A Ward,
arranged by Warren Barker – Westfield Public Schools Combined Bands
Patrick Kennedy
Instrumental Music Director, Westfield High School & Westfield Technical Academy
Secondary Level Lead Music Teacher, Westfield Public Schools
Jazz Coordinator, Massachusetts Music Educators Association-Western District
