Schools
VIDEO: Martin Elementary School Musicians Face the Stage Armed With Instruments and Bravura
George R. Martin's fifth graders performed to a full house of family and friends Wednesday evening.
Soloists shared the spotlight at George R. Martin Elementary School’s concert Wednesday night, Feb. 9. Not only skill, but more importantly, courage was applauded as fifth-grade fingers manipulated, flutes, clarinets, trumpets, saxophones, xylophones and, as music director Paul Anderson said, “too many drums.”
Anderson is also the music director for Mildred H. Aitken Elementary School and once a year the children coalesce into one musical ensemble. Tonight though, was just for Martin’s students to shine.
The mid-year concert was a first for the 2010-2011 class and marked the school’s fourth consecutive concert year.
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“The concert’s been going on for as long as I’ve been here...It depends on the funding,” said Principal Kevin Madden, 34.
A semicircle of 51 kids sat coolly facing a gymnasium of packed bleachers. All in matching black and white outfits, some heads were just skimming the tops of the music stands. Anderson gave parents and family members ample opportunity to bask in their musicians’ accomplishments.
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Filling up a small section of the front row were Sylvia and Michael LePage, proud grandparents who traveled from Tiverton, R. I. to support their “little peanut” Kayla Nastari, 10, who was front row center with her flute.
The selection of songs for the evening reflected skills the kids have been learning throughout the year including melody, harmony and eighth notes. The ensemble warmed up the show with classic “Hot Cross Buns” and finished with Beethoven’s “Theme from Symphony No. 9.”
Hitting the halfway point with “Farm Out,” an extension of “Old MacDonald,” the performance transitioned to solos. The order for solos? Whosever hand shot up fastest.
“Here are the rules for solos,” began Anderson addressing the audience, “One, anyone who wants to do a solo can. Two, they can play any song we’ve covered this year, or another song they’ve learned, or one they’ve made up - so the rules are, there are no rules.”
Grandparents waited with bated breath as Kayla accurately performed “Merrily We Roll Along,” the second verse of “Mary had a Little Lamb,” for her solo. When asked if she was prepared, both Kayla and Madison, who sat next to her, nodded vigorously.
Anderson’s reminder to applaud courage was well worth the disclaimer as some kids tried their best to recover any solo slip-ups. Flawless or not, every student was encouraged to take a bow for their versions of “Frere Jacques,” “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” or one of many other selections. The children quickly obliged with beaming smiles.
“Most of the kids stick with it. There’s usually only a handful of kids who decide not to continue in middle school,” said Madden as he regarded Seekonk High School’s musical director John Smialek who was inconspicuously scouting the talent to come.
