This evening more than 200 student musicians from four schools and two districts gathered to celebrate music and culture as the District 99 Orchestra sponsored the "Music is a Passport to the World" concert. The repertoire during the concert celebrated the music from more than a dozen different cultures, highlighted by student and parent program notes in both English and the native language of the piece being performed. In addition to featuring student vocalists and guitarists on the Mexican folk song "DeColores," the evening concluded with a combined finale featuring guest artists
Ayodele, an African drum and dance troupe. The capacity crowd in the auditorium departed with a palpable enthusiasm for the success of the concert, both in the diversity of repertoire and in the fabulous performances by all the student musicians.
Thanks to the O'Neill Middle School Orchestra, Julie Spring, director, and the Herrick Middle School Orchestra, Madeline Fiene, director, for their significant sonic contributions to this performance. Thanks also to D99 Orchestra director Jennifer Mullen for envisioning and executing such a collaborative cultural event.
If you were unable to join us in the auditorium this evening, or, if you simply want to re-experience this fabulous event, you can view it on the High School Cube by
CLICKING HERE.
