All-Town Band Concert: Oh What A Night!



A view of the elementary and middle school student performers

 What a fabulous night we had on Thursday, March 10, when every band student in the Burlington Public Schools took part in the 2nd Annual All-Town Band Concert, a concert featuring students in combined performances by grade level from the elementary schools (Fox Hill, Francis Wyman, Pine Glen and Memorial), Marshall Simonds Middle School and Burlington High School.


A capacity crowd of families in the bleachers





The event was held in the gymnasuim at BHS, the only facility in the district large enough to hold over 1400 people, including over 400 student performers and well over 1,000 in the bleachers..

Directors Peabody, Middleton-Cox, Kerley, Napierkowski, Potts,
Bolduc and Lovell.

 Spearheaded by BHS' Matt Lovell as a view of the development of our students and the progression of the program through their public school lives, the music teachers and directors from all schools were instrumental in the planning and also participated in directing the individual groups as well as the combined piece at the end.

The program featured the Combined Fourth Grade Bands, directed by Mark Napierkowski and Lindsey Peabody, in "Mary Ann," "Shoo Fly," "Donkey Round" and "Surprise Symphony" (arranged by O'Reilly and Williams). The Combined Fifth Grade Bands, directed by Mark Napierkowski and Lindsey Peabody, performed "Ayre and Dance" by Bruce Pearson, and "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" by Weiss, Peretti, Creatore (arranged by Story).

A view of 4th and 5th grade band students (front) and
MSMS students (rear)


Marshall Simonds Middle School was represented by the Concert Band, directed by Amanda Potts, in "La Rajouissance" by G.F. Handel (arranged by Mark Williams) and "When I'm Sixty-Four" by Lennon and McCartney (arranged by Eric Osterling). The MSMS Symphonic Band, directed by Jeffrey Bolduc, played highlights from "Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory" by Bricusse and Newley (arranged by Robert Longfield), and "The Stars and Stripes Forever" by J.P. Sousa (arranged by Andrew Balent).


The BHS Concert Band in performance



To complete the individual band performances, the BHS Concert Band, directed by Matt Lovell, performed "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing" by Stevie Wonder (arranged by Jay Bocook), and "Something" by George Harrison (arranged by Richard Saucedo).

Finally, the evening ended with the combined bands performing "Ode to Joy," by Ludwig von Beethoven (arranged by Jeffrey Bolduc). The performance was a special treat for everyone as it included all grades in performance with all the directors leading the piece in tandem. A spectacular finale, indeed!


Post-concert directors' celebration. Music Boosters hats off to
all the teachers and students!

Thanks to all who support music in our schools. A special thanks to the Burlington Public Schools custodians for their assistance in making the evening possible.