By Mary-Justine Lanyon
When the young musicians at Mary Putnam Henck Intermediate School presented their concert last October, Emily Ozaeta, the school’s music director, shared some wise words with the audience.
MPH’s beginning band under the direction of Emily Ozaeta.
She encouraged parents and friends to return for their concert in the spring. “As good as these students are now,” she said, “you will see a whole different band in the spring!”
That prediction came true as the advanced band, beginning band and choir took the stage on May 9. Not a squeak or sour note was to be heard.
The advanced band – made up of 21 students – began their program with “The Great Locomotive Chase” by Robert W. Smith. The audience could hear the train racing along the tracks through the drums – faster and faster they went, finally slowing to a stop.
Ozaeta explained that the piece was inspired by the Andrews Raid during the Civil War when volunteers from the Union Army stole a train; they were pursued by Confederate forces.
This concert, she said, “is a celebration of what the kids have put in, despite a challenging year with fire, snow and wind days.”
The first piece was followed by “Prairie Dance” by Zachary Docter; “In the Mood” by Joe Garland, arranged by Paul Murtha; and “El Capitan” by John Philip Sousa.
Two students – James Phillips on alto sax and Nate Peterson on tenor sax – were featured on “In the Mood.”
The MPH choir sang two songs, including one with Hawaiian lyrics.
The stage was then reset for the beginning band, which boasts 32 members. They played three pieces: “Consensus” by Larry Clark; a piece made up of two classical favorites – including “Ode to Joy” – by Brahms and Beethoven, arranged by James Swearingen; and “Wrath of the Mechanical Monster” by Randall Standridge.
On the last piece, the advanced band joined the beginning band on stage for the first time. While the additional chairs were being set up, several students waved to their family members in the audience. And, during that time, Ozaeta read the composer’s notes on the piece: “In the work, you will hear sirens and the sound of marching mechanical monstrosities as they make their way into the city to wreak havoc on the general populace and bring their own brand of musical destruction to the cityscape. Beware, my friends, for the day of reckoning is upon us! Run for your lives! They’re here! They’re here!”
And, with that, the combined bands delighted the audience with the promised sounds.
The MPH choir – with 27 members – sang two songs: “The Water is Wide,” a traditional folk song arranged by Andy Beck, and “Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride” from Lilo & Stitch, arranged by Ed Lojeski.
Ozaeta noted that the students spent a great deal of time learning the Hawaiian words for the song. They are no strangers to singing in languages other than English, something they did in two songs at their concert in October.
As each group took the stage and then left after their performance, parents could be heard calling out their children’s names, exhibiting the pride they felt in the students’ accomplishments.
Prior to the start of the concert, Principal Terry Gomes welcomed the audience and commented on “how lucky we are to have Ms. Ozaeta.” She is to be congratulated on the size of the music program at MPH.
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