This Thursday, Feb. 27, the String Spectacular rises to the stage at 7 p.m. to perform at the AAHS.
This event is performed by three big groups: the elementary schools, the Jr. High and the High School. While watching the performance, people may think about the effort the students put in to practice the songs that they play, but no one thinks about how all the schools practice for this concert and how they come together to create music.
For the elementary schools, the String Spectacular is an optional thing that is encouraged so that elementary kids can hone their skills and become even better.
Junior high and high school orchestra teacher Kelly Detwiler said, “They have what’s called an all city elementary school, where they bring in kids that are mostly in fifth grade, but sometimes the better players in fourth grade, and they rehearse on Tuesday evenings at the high school.”
When kids get into Jr. high and high school however, the String Spectacular becomes a mandatory concert for a grade.
“The Jr. High’s been working on their music as well,” said Detwiler. “They’ve been practicing the music since the second week of January trying to get it perfected. Jr. High is a little complicated because we have three different grades that are in three different classes. One thing I do is that I record the eighth graders, so that seventh and sixth grade can play along with it.
In the high school, the kids play the most advanced music out of all the grades at the concert.
Detwiler said, “We are rehearsing just like the Jr. High, we have regular classroom time to get ready for the concert, as well we have two dress rehearsals to put it all together.”
It takes a lot of separate work from all three groups to come together to create a music filled night. Tickets will be $3 and are sold in the lobby.
These students love to share their music, so they hope to see the seats filled!
