Mount Nittany Middle School Band offerings include:  

AFFIRMATION - MNMS Symphonic Band (May, 2025)

"I’m trying to imagine the things you do in your rehearsals to get to this point.  Intonation, rhythm, balance are all deeply refined…and I appreciate not only the sound of the ensemble, but also that the team clearly understands the pieces of music and ensemble goals.  Something special going on with this band here.  Mr. Nelson, you know what you’re doing - the students are in very capable hands.  Bravo!"

          -Dr. Neil Wetzel (Moravian University)

ARNGE DRANK - MNMS JazzBlue (May, 2024)

"Well!  Yeah, the horn section figures 98% of the time are so tight and precise.  I really applaud you with attention to detail with all of these very cool section figures.  This band plays better than most HS band programs I’ll hear at festivals, and not just in this part of the country, you know the west coast too, and even Texas festivals and I’ve done a lot of them.  This group plays just so so clean, excellent energy.  Yeah, this was so impressive..the soloists were great with great ideas, spontaneity too, an independent rhythm section, the horns are listening closely, so much talent in this group, but also clearly some truly great teaching is going on here.  Mr. Nelson.  Everything is so well prepared – how is this a middle school group?  There are college groups that do not sound like this.  I had a great time listening to this, a true highlight for me for the weekend.  Thank you for a swingin’ program!"

          -Dr. Todd Goranson

IMAGINARIUM - The MNMS Symphonic Band (May, 2024)

"Great energy, great great energy and very very accomplished.  There is a lot, a lot of great stuff happening with this group.  Quite impressed.  Your director has done a really superb job in terms of the interpretation of this piece, and kudos to the director on the level of preparation to see a result like this come to fruition.  You had such control of dynamics, a mature individual technique, and then to be able to handle the accidentals through here, and being able to maintain that type of tone through this piece – just very musical in everything you’ve done here today.  This was so exciting for me to see and hear today; a group of this age level performing with that kind of conviction #1, and #2 that kind of clarity and dedication to everything that’s on the musical page.  Really nice and much more rare now to see that kind of thing happen.  It was a highlight of the weekend for me.  A group playing at a very very high level.  Fantastic."

          -Dr. John Villella (West Chester University)

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON - MNMS Symphonic Band (May, 2025)

"A GLORIOUS sound!  WOW!  I just love it.  You definitely do not sound like a middle school band, playing well beyond your years here.  Well balanced through the low and mid range into the upper. You can tell in body language that these students really really enjoy playing this very challenging repertoire.  And I’m sure it’s pushing them, but you can’t tell it.  I’m not sure how you’ve done this magic, Mr. Nelson…it comes off as very musical, at ease, comfortable, and enjoyable…you can see that they’re at ease playing this very challenging repertoire.  Kudos!"

          -Gregory MacGill (Liberty HS, Bethlehem, PA)

BLUE GOOSE - MNMS JazzBlue (May, 2022)

"Aww, that was fun!  Ladies and gentleman, be so very very proud of what you do.  And I hope that you know that what you’re doing is exceptional and that you need to keep up the great work, and you need to keep listening to Mr. Nelson.  That you would step forward and put together something that is so stylistically accurate such as this is just incredibly exciting.  You guys sound terrific as an ensemble, you know how to improvise, thank you for the beautiful blend and balance, attention to detail with articulation and stylistic awareness to envy.  Wonderful job!"

          -Walt Straighton (Mansfield University)

MUDBUG STRUT - MNMS JazzBlue (lobby performance, May 2022)

"it was sigma"

         -A middle school passerby