2008 Montgomery County Music Festival

Below is a story that appeared in The Recorder on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2008.
 

Not the same old song and dance

By LUKE SMUCKER

Recorder News Staff

As the Large Crowds began to gather in the Amsterdam High School's new auditorium for the 53rd annual Montgomery County Music Festival, the lights shining down on the elementary school chorus made the children seem to glow. With smiles on their faces, they stood side by side looking out at fiends and family members.

At this year's event there were five ensembles, an elementary chorus, a senior chorus, a middle school band, a senior band and the new addition to the festivities, a jazz band. These bands and choruses each represented a select group of students from schools all around Montgomery County. But the students that came to Amsterdam High School’s new auditorium with its state of the art sound system didn't come just to sing and play, they came to put on a concert.

Stephanie Boice, Amsterdam High, School's band director said that planning for the event began in September and every month, the Montgomery County Music Teachers Association would meet to suggest and pick guest conductors who in turn would pick the music that these bands and choruses would play. Afterwards, the music teachers would take the music back to their students and get them ready to perform.

Boice started her day at Amsterdam High School at 7:22 yesterday morning and did not anticipate leaving the building until sometime around 7 p.m., an hour after the concert would be over.

“The concert will probably finish around six,” Boice said. “After another hour of clean up we'll get to leave.”

Though there is no theme for the festival the goal for the show is that the guest conductors get to teach the children new music. In addition, it is a chance for the students to work with someone, other than the conductor and teacher that they are used to.

Boice said that the idea of having to be able to adjust to working with someone new is valuable experience that applies not just to music, but to the real world as well. She added that this format is also good for the teachers because it gives them-a chance to examine their students learning music that they might not have otherwise heard of or thought of incorporating into their concerts.

“We give the [students] another avenue to express themselves." Boice said 'They get to be a part of a whole new different style and they love it.”

Boice expected that there would be standing room only at the concert because of Montgomery Count’s continued support for their music programs. She said that the students look to the music programs as an outlet for their personal creativity.

“It’s important that the community supports the school district and support these programs," Boice said "Students can sit in a classroom and do homework but it is also a delightful part of the day when they can do something that is a little less formal but is still a challenge.

Pete DiBiase, a Fort Plane band director and president of the Montgomery County Music Teachers Association, who has been participating in this event for the last 20 years, said he looks forward to this musical event every year.

“A lot of these kids are competitors on our athletic fields,” DiBiase said. This is one time where they can come together and learn.”

DiBiase said eh remembers when he was a kid, participating in this event was a day that involved a lot of sitting and rehearsing, but the night of the performance made it all worthwhile.

“Probably everyone on staff here has a kid or has been orchestrated,” DiBiase said. “That’s why it’s great to be able to pass this on to our own students.”

DiBiase compared the event to a musical exam and said that thought most of the kids might be reluctant to say how much they enjoy it, it’s one of the most challenging things they do all year aside from exams.

“It’s eight hours of learning and a test at the end,” DiBiase said. “The test being the performance. Then it’s over, there is no make-ups, you have one opportunity play the song and sing the song correctly.”