Lynn all-city band concert a success

LYNN – An event that grows both in size and success every year – the Lynn Public Schools annual All-City Elementary String and Band Concert – went off without a hitch last week as more than 700 students performed for family, friends and fans in the Lynn English High School auditorium.Students of all ages rehearsed twice before the concert, an effort that required transporting approximately 600 students on 17 buses at two different locations.The string students went to Breed Middle School to rehearse, while the band students went to Lynn English high school to rehearse. The next day, May 27, all 600 students went to Lynn English High School for combined rehearsal.Instrumental teachers were assisted by numerous volunteer parent chaperones, who rode on these buses with the teachers on both days and also assisted with the concert in the evening.Fine Arts Director Joe Picano praised parents and the staff members at each school for helping to organize the event.”The principals of all the elementary schools were extremely supportive and assisted with this process of not only selecting the chaperones but making sure all students got on the bus with the instruments and were able to have this opportunity to play,” said Picano, who organizes the overwhelming event each year. “This is a program that starts in the fall, with parents renting hundreds of instruments and becoming part of the entire city’s instrumental music program. Several hundred of the beginning students started the evening concert and then concluded with the advanced elementary students.”The entire Lynn English High School auditorium was filled beyond capacity. Extended family members flew in from across the country, nieces and nephews and loved ones, including one excited woman who experienced and survived World War II in Germany as a child, turned out to see their family members play.This elementary school concert is the beginning process for students who want to advance into the now established middle school band, string program, orchestra and jazz band program which is now in progress at all middle schools.Once students complete those programs, they progress to the next level at the high school.A successful combined middle and high school concert was recently performed at Breed Middle School.The city’s music program has been one of the most successful in recent years and Picano says it continues to grow at a rapid pace, especially in the elementary and middle schools.”The quality of this performance by the students was at its highest level, which speaks significantly of what the instrumental teachers are doing. When I was placed in this program many years ago there were just a handful of students. There is close to 700 students involved in this program now,” he said. “We have definitely raised the bar for the students of Lynn. The students were so excited to play that you could feel their positive energy, and judging from the excitement of the parents and family members who all relayed positive comments, they are all looking forward to seeing their children move up to the next level of performance.”The family and friend support and interest was also overwhelming. We are extremely fortunate in these trying times to be able to continue the program. We could not carry on this program without the support of the superintendent, principals, teachers and the families who invest the time and money. I extend my gratitude to all of them.”