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Upcoming spring performances keeps CC music students sharp

By Kate Hayden, khayden@charlescitypress.com

With the jam-packed schedule of holiday carols and season concerts behind them, the music students at Charles City High School have a new season of challenges to look ahead. The second half of the school year is filled with honor groups and competition opportunities throughout the months, especially as seniors look forward to closing out their high school career.

Orchestra students will see the biggest show of their year on Feb. 16, as string instrumentalists from grades 5-12 gather for one hour during a community concert at the Charles City Middle School. The concert gives community members and students a chance to see progression through the years with each two- or three-song set, said orchestra director Nancy Western.

“We do a lot of fun music for that concert. The high school kids are kind of trying to grab the interest of the younger kids,” said Western. “It’s nice for the high kids to look back and reminisce the things that they did when they were younger.”

Honor choir season has not slowed down for the choral department students, vocal director Brad Beale said, as some head to Wartburg College in Waverly on Jan. 31 for the Meistersinger Honor Choir. From there, the department has it’s next choir concert on Feb. 22, with students working on a broad mix of music –– from German, to madrigals, to pieces from the production “Sister Act”, Beale said.

Band students will see their season start revving up, as the jazz band hits it’s big competition season throughout the state. Charles City will host the state jazz festival at the middle school building this year, an opportunity that lets the band rank where they play among jazz ensembles throughout Iowa. The band is also looking forward to their ‘Jivin’ with Jazz’ festival on March 12, a dinner-and-a-show at the Trinity Methodist Church served and performed by jazz students.

This year’s jazz band is a little larger than in past years when director Jake Gassman director two ensembles, but the group is still able to feature soloists like trombonist Jacob Nixt and alto saxophonist Ian Bailey.

“Jazz is a pretty different style,” high school band director Jake Gassman said. “We really try not to turn anyone away who wants to play jazz.”

At the same time, band students will join the choir and orchestra in preparing for this year’s IHSMA Solo/Ensemble Festival, also hosted this year at the Charles City Middle School. String instrumentalists have already been practicing solos, duets and other small groups for the longest amount of time, designating solo pieces already by last fall.

“Many have been working all year. They’re well into their preparation already,” said Western. “It’s been a number of years since we hosted.”

The music department has already been told by the state they will need nine judging centers, although the number of students Charles City welcomes won’t be available until student registration is finally submitted. All three departments will put out a volunteer call closer to the April 2 contest, Western said: people will be needed to time performances, deliver scores to judges, man the warm-up rooms, and countless other tasks to keep the day running smoothly.

“(There’s) very specific guidelines from the state about how all those things happen,” Western said. “Then food, concessions, there’s the main office, all the people who tabulate all the scores.”

The department is also making final preparations for their spring music trip to Chicago, a cultural trip where students will see the Montreal Symphony, visit landmark museums and perhaps work with a former choir director of Beale’s, he said. The trip will run from March 14-18.

“We want to see other cultural aspects they won’t see in our hometown,” Gassman said.

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CCHS Spring Music Calendar

Jan. 18

Band/Choir/Orchestra –– NEIC Honor Festival, Waverly-Shell Rock Schools

Jan. 25

Band/Jazz Band –– IHSMA State Jazz Festival,

JAN. 31

Choir ––Meistersinger Honor Choir, Wartburg College

Feb. 18

Band –– 5-12 Band Concert, Middle School Auditorium, 7 p.m.

Feb. 22

Vocal –– 9-12 Spring Vocal Concert, Middle School Auditorium

Feb. 27

Jazz Band –– Coe Jazz Summit, Coe College

March 12

Jazz Band –– CC Jazz Festival, Middle School Auditorium

March 14-18

Band/Choir/Orchestra –– Music Department Student Trip, Chicago

March 28

Band/Choir/Orchestra –– Mock solo/ensemble night, High School

March 29

Jazz Band –– Jivin with Jazz, Trinity Methodist Church 6 p.m.

April 2

Band/Choir/Orchestra –– IHSMA Solo/Ensemble Festival, High School all day

May 2

Band/Orchestra –– High School band/orchestra Spring Concert, Middle School Auditorium 7:30 p.m.

May 6

Band/Choir –– IHSMA Large Group Contest

May 10

Choir –– 9-12 Finale Vocal Concert, Middle School Auditorium 4 p.m.

May 16

Band/Choir/Orchestra –– High School Music Awards Banquet, High School cafeteria 6 p.m.

May 30

Band –– Memorial Day Ceremony, Floyd County Courthouse 10 a.m.

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