Five students from the Glen Rock School District were selected for the Second Annual All-North Jersey Elementary Honor Band on May 4. (Front row, from left) Hamilton School fifth graders Maya Doyle (clarinet), Jessica Malo (flute), Robert Kim (trumpet) and Glen Rock Middle School sixth grader Shivani Parulekar (trumpet), along with (back row, center) sixth grader Anand Shetler (trumpet) are congratulated by their band directors John Diomede (left) and Jeffery Kurland (right).  Jenna Sasson, another Hamilton student, served as an alternate clarinetist and sixth grader Charlotte Arehart was selected as an alternate oboist. These students were among 270 musicians selected from a pool of 450 fifth and sixth graders who were nominated by their instructors.

 

The students were divided into three bands, one fifth grade band (The Red Band) and two sixth grade bands (The Blue and Green Bands).  They received their music three weeks prior to the event and worked with their band directors to prepare the music. Students attended a morning rehearsal on May 4, followed by lunch and another rehearsal before performing for an audience of almost 700 at South Orange Middle School. All nominating directors were present at the festival to assist with rehearsals, lunch and other logistical tasks.

 

On a related note, 15 students from Hamilton School participated in a cover design contest for the music education magazine Music K-8. Hamilton art teacher Kim Menke and music teacher John Diomede assisted the students with submitting their entries.   Fifth grader Jenna Sasson’s design was selected as a finalist and fourth grader Yejin Suh’s piece received honorable mention. 

Laura Ciabattoni!