Cheshire Band Concert

I attended the annual Winter Concert of the Cheshire High School Music Department this evening.  The word which keeps coming to mind is MAGNIFICENT.  That's it.  That's the best way to describe the performance of this talented and dedicated group of young musicians.  Under the direction and expert tutelage of Mr. John L. Kuhner, who looked quite fetching in his black tuxedo with red tie and kerchief, the concert consisted of performances by the Concert Band, the String Orchestra, the Symphony Orchestra, the Symphonic Band, and the Marching Band. 

I must say that Maestro Kuhner does an outstanding job with all of his students, who so certainly look up to him as their skilled leader and conductor.  At this point in their musical careers, all of the students--most of whom have come up through Cheshire's award-winning music program--have put in years of practice on their instrument.  But for sure it is Mr. Kuhner who nurtures them to draw out the best of their skills, talents, and gifts.

A couple of highlights of the evening--for me, anyway-- were the String Orchestra's performance of Vivaldi's Concerto Grosso in D Minor, Op. 3, No. 11 and the Symphonic Band's Arabian Dances in which a couple of percussion guys were playing bongos and a couple of percussion girls were playing darbukas--the traditional Arabian lap drum--during the selection. 

Beginning with the Concert Band and proceeding through the Orchestras and Symphonic Band, the evening culminated with the Marching Band perfoming for the final time their 2012 field show "Shipwrecked."   With the entire stage covered with the Marching Band percussion section and the rest of the musicians lined up on the floor mere inches from the front row of the audience, the breathtakingly powerful rendition was awesome to behold.  Again:  MAGNIFICENT!