Page 19 - Newsletter_Spring_2022
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Music Department
NEWS FROM THE MUSIC ROOM
By Kevin Mania, HHS Music Faculty
Moving forward and gaining momentum as enjoyed in the past...
We have had a remarkably successful year. In
November we put on Elf the Musical. We had to Our newest program is the modern band. This group
social distance for our seating, which unfortunately has been a fantastic addition to our music program.
limited how many seats we could sell. We sold out We offer students the opportunity to learn Guitar,
about a week before our show opened. We were able Bass, Keyboard, Uke and Drums. Students usually
to sell about 275 seats for each show. As some of come into the program with no experience, and we
you know, we unfortunately had to turn away many hit the ground running and perform as a band in just
supporters of our program that showed up the nights a few months. This is a student-centered class that
of our performances. It was a great show and the kids offers the students leadership skills as well as musical
had so much fun during this production. We are knowledge. We give them direction and get them
currently checking our different ideas for next year’s going, then we turn it over to them to run rehearsals
musical. We will continue this tradition as it is always and pick music. It really is an amazing feeling
something that the community looks forward to. watching them take on the job ahead of them. We
had our first concert in January with the group, they
The band and chorus continued to work hard towards played four songs. On May 23, they will be hitting
regaining their strengths after having to shift gears the stage again with a full set list of ten songs, two of
and do different things during the COVID year. We them were written by a member of the group. Along
are moving forward and gaining the momentum that with this group, there will also be a middle school
we have all enjoyed in the music department. The modern band, and two teacher bands performing. We
chorus had their concert in March, which was the first call it our battle of the bands. It is a big crowd pleaser
live chorus concert since COVID. There was great and such a fun evening of students performing with
attendance and the students in the middle and high shire pride.
school had a wonderful performance. The band had
their concert as well in the beginning of May. This We are so excited to be able to have our big reunion
was their annual Band - O - Rama. This year we had this summer! Rick Nickerson will be directing
the Southside band, Middle School band, and High our Alumni Chorus and Mike Hutchinson will be
School band. We had a great attendance, and the directing our Alumni Band. Please let us know if you
students were so proud of their accomplishments. would like to participate in our extraordinary talent
show Friday, July 8th! We hope to see you there and
In March, we kicked off our jazz season. This year we look forward to reconnecting with you all soon!
had jazz bands and show choirs in both middle and
high school. This concert was a larger than normal Rick Nickerson: rgnickerson@gmail.com
crowd of people that really gave us an opportunity Mike Hutchinson: mike.hutchinson@rsu29.org
to let the students shine in a smaller ensemble
atmosphere. Both Jazz bands went on to the State As always, we would love to hear from you,
Jazz festival at Hampden Academy and scored silver
ratings, which is a score of 90-94. The middle Kevin Mania
school had two students that received Outstanding Music Department, Chair
Musicianship Awards. There are only five given in kevin.mania@rsu29.org
each division. We were so proud of their performance
and growth over the year with these groups.
www.houltonalumni.com PAGE 19
