The annual district concert took place on Thursday, April 10, and included musicians from all Milpitas schools. The concert was split up into two parts: the first featured bands and choirs from Thomas Russell Middle School, elementary schools, and MHS and the second featured students from Rancho Middle School, other elementary schools, and MHS.
The elementary schools were split up based on which middle school they feed into, district music lead Emily Moore said. The expansion of the district’s elementary music program, including band and strings classes for all 10 elementary schools, led to a much larger concert than in past years, Moore added.
“We didn’t do one (district concert) last year because they (elementary music classes) were trying out a different rotation of music that wasn’t necessarily the band and strings group,” Moore said. “So all of a sudden we went from not having it to having one with 700 elementary students.”
All elementary students played the same program in both concerts. They played beginner songs, including “Hot Cross Buns” and “When the Saints Go Marching In.” The elementary students were then followed by Russell students in the first concert, and Rancho students in the second. The middle schools had different programs, with Russell featuring its choir, string orchestra, and symphonic band, and Rancho featuring its Orchestra I and Orchestra II students.
The goal of the district concert is to show the progression of student abilities over time, MHS band director Chris Hoefflinger said. The hope is that elementary students will be motivated to continue with the music program, he added.
“We started out with the elementary students because it makes sure that they are heard first, and they are a great kind of opening to everything and their vital parts,” Hoefflinger said. “It features their talents right away, and then it goes on to the middle schools, and then on to the high school.”
Junior Sree Kotha, who plays flute in MHS’s wind symphony, enjoys being able to perform the pieces she is learning in class, she said. Concerts help band kids like her showcase their abilities and what they have been working on, she added.
“I do think it is (beneficial) because they (elementary and middle schoolers) get a feel of what performing feels like, and they also get rid of that stage fright,” Kotha said. “They get more confident with playing in front of people.”
The high school program included the choir, symphony orchestra, and wind symphony for both performances. The symphony orchestra played an arrangement of “Wicked” songs, much to the delight of the audience members.
Both concerts ended with all band and choir students performing “Don’t Stop Believin.’” Ending the concert with a song all students perform together has been tradition for all district concerts, Hoefflinger said.
“It just gets everybody in it,” Hoefflinger said. “And it’s just really cool, really kind of a display of community. And again, ‘Don’t Stop Believin’’ – you can’t go wrong with that.”
Overall, Hoefflinger is incredibly proud of the students’ performances and how the concert went, he said.
“Just sharing in the community of it all, and really bringing together what music can be, and really, (it’s) a really strong bonding moment to see the evolution from elementary to middle school to high school,” Hoefflinger said.