2022/3/8 (6-8 Bands)

Sixth Grade Band 

Selections from “Essential Elements for Band” will include Variations on a Familiar Theme, Trombone Rag, and When the Saints Go Marching In  

*Power Rock, Queen/ arr. Sweeney

Dragon Slayer, Grice

Congratulations to the 6th Grade Band for the tremendous progress you are making this year! You should be very proud of what you have learned since the beginning of the year, and we can’t wait until it’s your turn on stage playing amazing music for your younger friends.

*Power Rock was provided to the 6th grade band by a grant from the NAIS PTO. THANK YOU for supporting the 6th grade band!

Middle School Jazz Band 

Blues in the Closet, Pettiford

Mack the Knife, Weill, arr./DeRosa

American Patrol, Meacham, arr./Lewis

Thank you to the members of the Jazz Band for your commitment to swing and early morning rehearsals!

7th Grade Band

Marching Down Main Street, Ed Huckeby

Bumblebee Blues, John Edmondson

Across the Field, William Dougherty, arr./Tatgenhorst

Skygazer Fanfare, Randall Standridge

Against all odds after a beginner year of “Covid compromised instruction,” your year has been a success story. You are right where you should be, and the sky is the limit!

8th Grade Band

Project Mercury, Mekel Rogers

Under An Irish Sky, Larry Neeck

Clara Mendez-Falcon, trumpet solo

Irish Jig danced by Anne Coon, Grace Mahan, and Macy Smith

Moscow, 1941, Brian Balmages

African Marching Song, “Siyahamba”, arr./ Ken Dye

The 8th Grade Band has shown once again that it’s fun to be good! We love that your skills have developed to where you are really starting to bring challenging music to life. Thank you for all you do!

2021-2022 New Albany Intermediate and Middle School Bands

Sixth Grade

Flutes: Haydenn Clark, Akshanth Dongre, Addison Frericks, Mica Jefferies, Sophia Kosky, Aditi Koushick, Lilly Nasrallah, Valentina Suslov, Kaya Thakkar, Caroline Vadala, Grace Walker Clarinets: Gracie Bailey, Carson Beatty, Nathan Campbell, Ellie Coleman, Andrew Crowley, Liam Douglas, Evan Basham, Maddie Fuchs, Sloane Karpe, Josh Klink, Scarlett Lovins, Landon Morris, Remy Nunemaker, Ela Patel, Sam Patton, Jason Poeppelman, Grayson Rhoads, Aaqib Salam, Claire Siegel, Quinn Slagle, Ryan Zand, Kat Maniatis, Nadia Rendek, Hong Xin Zhu Saxophones: Jacob Goldsman, Ed Hock, Aanjali John, Kyle Kochendoerfer, Matthew Montes, Mason Ogle, Nethuja Palliyaguru, Jack Paradise, Garrett Parsons, Quinton Perry, Ghost Thomas, Max White Trumpets: Jonathan Bailey, William Baumhackl, Mackenzie Castro, Daniel Christian Alvarez, Noah Dennewitz, Ryan Dolsky, Jude Drakulich, Ethan Hall, Troy Hammond, Max Gao, Andrew Green, Lily Hall, Saeed Hassan, Rylee Hidalgo-Segura, Aidan Howser, Gryffin Lagemann, Adrian McCane, Cash Mitchell, Tanish Nair, Nissi Olayiwola, Miles Pignatelli, Sam Rayan, Brody Reusch, Jonathan Sammons, Macy Smith, Noah Thomas, Matthew Wafer Trombones: Austin Benedict, Grady Clouse, Caleb Friend, MJ Kirby, Orin Ogden, Owen Rathburn, Henry Seng, Beckett Sokol, Luke Sutton Baritones: Tucker Case, Coby Frabbott, Luke Wheeler, Jonathan Yawson Percussion: Gia Ellenberg, Nevan Mahadaanarachchi, Tatum Holmes, Ryan Marcelo, Ollie Martin, Will Meisner, Grant Miller, Hunter Sankovich, Lou Sharayera, Andrew Stinnett, Dan Wartenberg

Seventh Grade

Flutes: Klenam Ayivor Chell’sea Campbell, Sarang Kim, Lily McEwan, Dylan Spurlock, Kellie Thompson, Allison Weisbrod Clarinets: Addison Beaver, Nash Behnen, Ethan Bleiweiss, Charvi Puram, Brandt Siegel, Colin Staufenberg, Patrick Stucke, Andy Thung Bass Clarinets: Patrick Stucke Alto Saxophones: Caleb Karthik, Sterling Miller, Anthony Novel, Arjun Ohri, Arnan Srivastava, Owen Zhang Tenor Saxophones: Josh Byrge, Kavinu Palliyaguru, Mariah Williams Baritone Saxophone: Amanda Schamma Trumpets: Rucha Deshpande, Daniel Harker, Max Wheeler French Horn: Reaghan Kiwala Trombones: Darrin Joyner, Destin Nguyen Tuba: Jackson Pammer Percussion: Tejas Menneni, Alina Slabodkin, Chase Growdon, Sydney Herbster, Nicholas Schafer

Eighth Grade:

Flutes: Camille Croom, Ella Davis, Janelle Falk, Olivia Horne, Wolfie Howe, Anderson Rice, Victoria Gonzalez Zorce Clarinets: Ornob Amin, Sean Foley, Mia Hammond, Maggie Hill, Matthew Kirkham, Katie McMunn, Gabe Teeter-Rodriguez Bass Clarinets: Avery Bartels, Gabe Teeter-Rodriguez Alto Saxophone: Caiden Jones Trumpets: Owen Basham, Owen Boutell, Madolyn Dailey, Henry Dunn, Clara Mendez-Falcon, Alex Stossell, Miles Walden, Rayna Wright French Horn: Lyndsey Hilliard Trombones: Abram Alvarado, Kate Bohman, Michael Botkin, Alexa Briggs, Brady Hogan, Kai Kauffman, Sarah Krzeminski, Grant McGraw, Ben Pesetsky, Rohan Thung, Chase Zatezalo Tubas: Sam Silva, George Vergits III Percussion: Ari Gillespie-Levine, Wolfie Howe, Jack Sasaki, Arul Shegoankar, Ben Yosowitz

Jazz Band:

Alto Saxophones: Sean Foley, Matthew Kirkham, Sterling Miller Tenor Saxophones: Josh Byrge, Kavinu Palliyaguru, Maria Williams Clarinets: Brandt Siegel, Patrick Stucke, Gabe Teeter-Rodriguez Trumpet Elikam Ayivor, Henry Dunn Trombones: Alexa Briggs, Kai Kauffman, Destin Nguyen, Rohan Thung Piano: Selikem Ayivor, Janelle Falk Drums/Percussion: Ari Gillespie-Levine, Alina Slabodkin, Ben Yosowitz.  Keyboard Bass: Andy Thung

Choir Members for “Siyahamba”: Ava Baker, Reava Desai, Maria Camargo Londond, Elora Fosu, Gabrielle Lewis, Aubrey Maguire, Michaela Menefield, Dayja Olive, Gabriella Rosen, Cali Russell, Chloe Simpson, Riley Snead, Annelouise Trybus, Drew Wintersteller 

Upcoming Concerts:

April 12:  MEGABAND Concert for grades 6-12, Intermediate School Gym, 7PM

May 10: Grades 6, 7, and 8, McCoy Center for the Arts, 7PM

Thank You

Thank you to the Intermediate School PTO for their support in purchasing new “beginner year” level sheet music for our current and future band performances.

Thank you to the Middle School PTO for their support in purchasing a drum stand to replace one that had finally worn out.

Thank you to New Albany Music Parents for their support with many incidental expenses and as well as projects behind the scenes. 

Thank you to the custodial crew who helped us move all of our equipment to the McCoy.

Thank you to the teachers who shared students with us today so that we could combine class sections for our rehearsals today.

Thank you to Bella Brennan, who is our student teacher from Otterbein University!

Shameless Propaganda (ADVOCACY!) https://www.musicforall.org/who-we-are/advocacy/quick-facts

Seventh Grade

My name is ___Allison___________, and I play___________ in the band. Let’s congratulate the 7th grade band again for their excellent work tonight! 

Marching Down Main Street by Ed Huckeby is a concert march written in a very traditional style. Mr. Huckeby is well known for writing educational music that is tuneful, fun to play, and chock full of learning targets for developing musicians.

My name is  ___Rucha_________, and I play _______ in the band. Bumblebee Blues by John Edmondson is a rock tune that is based on the American blues and a famous Russian classical music piece by Rimsky-Korsakov called "Flight of the Bumblebee," which is very fast, and uses the chromatic scale. The chromatic scale is important to seventh grade bands the way multiplication is important to 3rd grade classes, and we have worked very hard to make it sound easy.

My name is ______________, and I play___________ in the band. Across the Field is one of two fight songs of The Ohio State University and was written by a student named William Dougherty in 1915. The song has been adopted by many other universities and high schools throughout the country, including New Albany. We will perform the song again for the 8th Grade Clap-out and at special events during 8th grade and beyond. This march is written in “Cut Time”, which is a more advanced rhythm counting system that we have been working to master this quarter. What we are most proud of is that this is basically the same version that the New Albany High School Band plays!

My name is ______________, and I play___________ in the band. Skygazer Fanfare was written by Randall Standridge, who also wrote everyone’s favorite 2021 holiday song. “Santa the Barbarian”. Skygazer uses syncopated rhythms and lots of fun percussion that creates a sense of forward motion and fun. This song sounds like it would fit in a movie soundtrack- we hope you’ll like it as much as we do. After the song, please be patient while we make a quick staging change.

Eighth Grade

Hello, my name is ______Ella___________, and I play _______ in our band. Let’s congratulate the 7th grade band again for their excellent work tonight! 

Project Mercury by Mekel Rogers seeks to capture the spirit of the first manned spaceflight by Alan Shepard in 1961. The piece begins with a blastoff and ascent into the atmosphere. The percussion sounds and vocal effects by the winds depict the metallic sounds of the rocket and various gasses used during liftoff. Fasten your seat belts and let your imagination soar during the flight!

Hello, my name is ____Kate __________, and I play _______ in our band. 

Under An Irish Sky  by Larry Neeck features two Irish folk melodies. This first is a pretty song called “Slane”, and the other is “Brian Boru’s March” . We will be joined by some very talented Irish Dancers who will perform “Light Jig”dance steps during the second part of the song. You can read more about the dancers in the program notes. You’re going to love their competition dresses.

Hello, my name is ______(Mr. Coon)_____

Moscow, 1941 by Brian Balmages is another song that paints a picture. The song identifies a significant moment in history during the second world war, in which the Red Army, against all odds, defended Moscow against an invasion by the Germans. In class, we learned a bit more of that history and talked about what it must have been like to be the underdog in that situation. We also talked a little about how the tables are turned in current events. In light of current events happening now in Europe, I would like to emphasize that the band has been working on this music for since early January because it’s a great teaching piece that is really fun to play. It has a reputation for being a “top 10” type piece.  Please trust that I have made a concerted effort to show sensitivity to people enduring the tragedies of a war, and that we have primarily kept our focus on playing the music.

This piece begins with the sounds of marching in the distance, and then clarinets quietly playing a Russian song called “Meadowlands”. The “Meadowlands” melody is repeated by each section of the band, more and more powerfully. There is also a section of the piece in which the music represents sounds of battle… including canons! After the battle scene, there is triumph, and the band is going to really make some sound!

Hello, my name is _______________________, and I play _______ in our band.  The African Marching Song “Siyahamba” will be a light and joyful change of pace after the emotional ride we just took through Russia. In March, we hosted a special guest named Sogbety Diomade, who is a familiar face in New Albany schools  thanks to Mrs. Lichtman. Mrs. Lichtman has had a McCoy Foundation grant for several years so that her students can learn culture and music from Sogbety. This year, the New Albany Music Parents Association provided funds so that our 7th and 8th grade percussionists could learn a more authentic percussion part for this song, and it was a blast!

We will also have singers tonight! The published music included a vocal part, and members of the Choir will be singing along with the band. We are very grateful to our new Choir teacher, Mr. Hopkins, for helping to prepare choir members to join us in the performance!

Following Siyahamba, the Band members on stage will take a few minutes to move chairs and stands while band members in the audience get a head start packing instruments away. Thank you all so much for your enthusiastic support tonight!

About Our Dancers

Macy Smith is one of our 6th grade trumpet players who is also a very experienced and talented Irish dancer. She studies at The Academy, and has performed at many local events. Macy has also competed at the Midwest Regional Irish Dance Championships, North American Irish Dance Championships, and World Championships.

Grace Mahan met Mr. Coon in a 3rd grade music class a long time ago, and then we realized that she and Anne Coon knew each other from dance classes at Millennium Academy of Irish Dance and Music. Grace is a HS Junior and has been dancing since she was four years old! Over the years, she has performed at many local events and has competed at the Midwest Regional Irish Dance Championships, North American Irish Dance Championships, and World Championships.

Anne Coon is Mr. Coon’s favorite Irish Dancer! Anne started dancing at age 8 and is now in her final year of competing and performing in local events before she heads off to college next year. Like so many other competitive Irish dancers, she has danced in many states at regional events, the Midwest Regional Irish Dance Championships, North American Irish Dance Championships, and will be traveling to Ireland this spring for the Irish Dance World Championships.