Davis band ensembles delight with the Festival of the Arts Concert

By Annie Cui,
BlueDevilHUB.com Staff-

On May 6, band ensembles from the junior highs and Davis High performed at the annual Festival of the Arts Concert at Davis Farmers Market.

The free concert allowed the music programs to give back to and connect to the community. Davisites could pick up some kettle corn and find a spot in the grass to relax and listen to the wide variety of music that the music program offered during the morning and afternoon.

A trumpet player for the symphonic band, junior Ellie Baker enjoyed the concert because of its unique location. She believes that the atmosphere that Farmers Market provides on Saturday mornings makes the concert more of a public event, fostering fun and communal enjoyment of the music.

However, the outdoor concert also presents some challenges for the musicians. Unpredictable weather can cause instruments to be out of tune and sheet music to fly around. The band also must play significantly louder so the audience can hear, while still preserving the dynamics and style of the piece.

Despite the difficulties that the outdoors could have presented, the day was warm with nearly no wind and the musicians were able to give it their best.

Each ensemble prepared a few pieces. Often times, the pieces are songs from pop culture so the audience can find themselves singing along or bobbing their heads to the familiar tune.

The junior high bands kicked off the performance in the morning.

The Harper Junior High band, led by Nancy Sanchez, rocked out a variety of styles, such as “Winter Holiday” and “Aliens Landing.” The Holmes Junior High ensemble, directed by Clyde Quick, rocked out current favorite Disney soundtracks such as “Moana” to draw in a crowd. The junior high musicians also performed songs from “The Incredibles,” “Cars,” “Lion King,” and “Pirates of the Caribbean” — songs that hit home for the people in the crowd.

After the junior high musicians finished their performance, many bought lunch from booths such as the Hotdogger and ate among their friends and family, while listening to the next performers from Davis High.

The DHS Jazz Band showcased their talent with three numbers. Like usual, the musicians played with little conducting from band director Thomas Slabaugh but with killer rhythm and style.

There were a multitude of solos and chases that provided a spicy dynamic. Solos such as from trombone player and senior Jesse Brandt left the crowd wanting another slice of jazz.

Right after the jazz band, the DHS concert and symphonic band performed together for two songs to wrap up the concert.

Each year, the seniors are able to pick a “senior song” to perform. According to Slabaugh, the choice was tough and there were “very heated arguments,” but the seniors finally chose the classic Disney soundtrack, “The Lion King,” which gave a chance for the people who miss the junior high performance to hear the soundtrack come to life.

Undeniably, “Hakuna Matata” and “Circle of Life” made the crowd nostalgic and happy that they stayed until the end of the concert.

Flutist for the symphonic band and junior Jun Kim has performed at the Festival of the Arts Concerts since seventh grade. She enjoys not only the festivity of the concert, but also being able to see her growth as a musicians since her days at Holmes Junior High.

“We experiment with different styles and techniques to make the perfect music, which is something we could not do in junior high […] I like this concert because we get to play songs that everyone knows. Although I like the other songs we play, I feel like it is more fun for the band and audience to play well known songs,” Kim said.

To listen to more of the DHS music program, the jazz band will be holding another concert Saturday, May 13 at the Farmers Market.