Annual Patty Hannon Concert

Band+director+Jarrod+ODonnell+said+the+concert+was++%E2%80%9Cvery+good+and+the+high+school+kids+met+my+expectations.%E2%80%9D++The+last+event+for+concert+band+is+Large+Group+Contest+on+Friday%2C+May+8+in+Harlan.

Band director Jarrod O’Donnell said the concert was “very good and the high school kids met my expectations.” The last event for concert band is Large Group Contest on Friday, May 8 in Harlan.

Monica Brewer

Sunday, April 26 was a good afternoon for a Patty Hannon Concert.  It was a fine program with students performing some of their pieces that they’ve been practicing on for months.

The Atlantic Community Schools Music Department Instrumental Music program presented the 33rd annual Patty Hannon Memorial Concert of Bands that featured the sixth grade band, the seventh & eighth grade band, and the AHS Symphonic Band.

The pieces each group presented were great.  Senior band members waited for their cue to play with the sixth grade band as they listened to them play “Westwind Overture,” “The March King,” and “Space Shuttle” from backstage.  After waiting what seemed to be 20 minutes, the group performed “March of the Syncopated Penguins,” where seniors were relieved and proud of the effort they put into the song (even though they only got to practice the song the Friday before.)

After listening to the seventh graders play “Of Castles and Kings,” “Korean Festival,” “Ramsgate March,” and “Pevensey Castle,” the AHS Band went backstage and waited anxiously for their cue to walk on stage to play their four pieces.  The pieces that were played were “Anitschka,” “Chorale and Shaker Dance,” “Clarinet Candy,” and “Abram’s Pursuit,” in that order.  Band teacher Jarrod O’Donnell said that out of the six years that he’s heard the sixth graders play music, “this was the best that they’ve played.”

“Clarinet Candy” was picked out to recognize senior Ben Parker and junior Emily Yager’s duet that earned a perfect score and best of their center during Solo and Small Ensemble Contest in late March.  Both of them will perform their piece in Ames in May, among the other acts that were best in center during that contest.

Before “Abrams Pursuit” was played, O’Donnell honored the seniors that were in Symphonic Band this year.  Those seniors included (in order by instrument): Alex Lensch, Parker, Monica Brewer, Justin Somers, Mark Stinn, Hannah Nelson, Haley Schweigert, Halee Glenn and Codi Hitch.  O’Donnell said that he’ll miss this year’s seniors because “they’re good leaders and strong players” and if they leave, it’s a “hole in the group.”  He also thinks that overall “it was very good and the high school kids met my expectations.”

Afterward honoring the seniors, he presented Parker and Somers with the the prestigious Patty Hannon Scholarship.  This scholarship is given to two seniors that have been in band for all four years that shows leadership qualities, involvement in all aspects of band, and cherishes their hard work outside of being just a band student.  This scholarship is $500 that is renewable for up to four years.  They were picked from a panel consisting of O’Donnell and 5 parent volunteers that looked over the applications that three students had to fill out.

If you want to listen to the AHS Symphonic Band, come to Harlan at 7:50 pm on Friday, May 8. O’Donnell said that “all of the work is done now and all that’s left is individual work and more cleaning that adds up to big points.”  Come and support them as they play “Chorale and Shaker Dance” and “Go Galop” and shoot for a one rating at Large Group Contest.