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Arts & Entertainment

VIDEO: Young Musicians Hit a High Note

Fifth-grade student musicians from Aitken and Martin Elementary schools performed together.

Over one hundred fifth-grade students from and performed together on Wednesday evening as part of Seekonk’s Elementary Instrumental Music program. Part-time instrumental music teacher Paul Anderson, who works at both schools, conducted the band. The two schools had previously not rehearsed together, yet pulled it off magnificently.

Playing to a good-sized crowd of family and friends, the enthusiastic musicians covered a wide variety of material from American and Mexican folk songs to Ludwig van Beethoven. In a particularly moving part of the evening, the students played the theme songs to all five branches of the military.

Addressing the crowd prior to those performances, Anderson referenced the recent storming of Bin Laden’s compound and the impressive work of our armed forces. He also addressed military members and veterans in the crowd.

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“If you feel inclined to stand up when we perform your branch’s song, please do so,” Anderson said. “Your service deserves our respect."

Six students had solo performances, including Jacqueline Sicard on trumpet, Jeremy Lutz on trombone, Kathryn Calverley on flute, and Jaidon Lima, Ryan Riordan and Armen Eghian on alto saxophone. Eghian’s performance was interrupted briefly when his sheet music fluttered to the floor. He simply stopped and waited patiently as someone returned it to the music stand. He then picked up where he left off.

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Later, a parent in the crowd praised Eghian and said he'd learned Hollywood’s biggest lesson, “The show must go on.”

After the performance, Anderson spoke about the importance of music education in elementary schools, saying that children need opportunities to explore in order to uncover their strengths and talents.

“I think it’s wonderful Seekonk values music enough to let a kid try an instrument to see if it’s one of their talents,” he said. “ Music is something that people can do for their entire lives in some way shape or form. It can be a lifelong hobby.”

The concert was dedicated to recently departed John Halliwell, who taught in the Seekonk elementary schools for 17 years. A note in the concert program said Mr. Halliwell was "a dedicated teacher who introduced hundreds of Seekonk students to the joys and challenges of performing music in band instruments."

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