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Neighbors | Zack Shively.Austintown's fifth and sixth grade bands had their spring concert on May 21 in the Fitch auditorium. Jacqueline Mortimer directed the fifth grade band and Jeremy McClain directed the sixth grade band. Pictured, the fifth grade group performed "Regal March."
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Neighbors | Zack Shively.Austintown Intermediate's fifth grade band played eight songs for their spring concert, including "Ode to Joy" and "Sawmill Creek." Music teacher Jeremy McClaine said he is excited to work with the group next year.
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Neighbors | Zack Shively.Austintown Middle School's sixth grade band, led by Jeremy McClaine, played five songs, opening with "Trumpet Voluntary." McClaine thanked the audience for attending and supporting the studnets and Fitch for hosting the event.
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Neighbors | Zack Shively.The fifth and sixth grade band concerts featured the theme of "Sounds From Aound the World." The fifth grade studnets performed songs such as "Old Irish Tune" and "Latin Magic," and the sixth grade played "Themes From the New World."
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Neighbors | Zack Shively.Music teacher Jeremy McClaine recognized some of his sixth grade students for their work during the school year. Pictured, he recognized students for participating in the middle school jazz band and maintaining an "A" grade through the year.
By ZACK SHIVELY
The fifth- and sixth-grade band students of Austintown’s intermediate and middle schools played at their spring concert on May 21 in the Fitch auditorium.
Jacqueline Mortimer directed the fifth-grade band and Jeremy McClain led the sixth-grade band. The concert raised money for Austintown’s band programs.
Ray Hartsough, the vice president of Austintown’s band parents, said that every concert series helps the band program succeed. Last year’s funding allowed for the school to purchase more than $30,000 in instrument replacements, such as adding sousaphones for the marching band or replacing a 17-year-old drum set for the bands.
The event marked the third and final performance of the year for the two groups. They had worked on their songs since February.
The show began with the fifth-grade band’s playing of “Regal March,” followed by “Polly Wolly Doodle” and Mozart’s “Variations on a Theme.” They also played the challenging pieces of “Ode to Joy” and “Sawmill Creek.”
The directors chose a “Sounds of the World” theme for the show. The fifth grade closed their set with songs that aligned with that theme: “Old Irish Tune” and “Latin Magic.”
The sixth grade performed a group of songs that started with “Trumpet Voluntary.” They moved into songs about Oregon’s Rogue River, Native American tribes and Paris. They ended their performance with the difficult piece “Themes From the New World.”
During the concert, McClaine complimented the students as they worked on becoming better musicians. He recognized the students in the sixth grade band with awards for participating in the middle school jazz band and for receiving an “A” average all year in band. He also took time to thank the staff of Fitch for accommodating the bands in the building.