By Marisa Ellis
Staff Writer
Mira Costa Band attended a festival at Whittier High School on March 10 and Wind Ensemble and Jazz band are currently preparing for their upcoming clinic in Las Vegas at the University of Nevada from Saturday to Monday.
At the Whittier festival, Wind ensemble played “In Wartime” and Folk Dances”, Symphonic played “Putza” and “From Every Horizon”, and Concert band played “Slavonic Dance” and “At the Strongholds of En Gedi”.
“Every student has put many hours of rehearsal after school,” Costa band director Joel Carlson said. “And I have seen all the progress they have made since they first got familiar with the music pieces.”
The judges rated the different performances based on musical skill and sight reading ability. After they scored each piece, the judges delivered feedback to each section of the band.
“It was a great opportunity to show what we have been working on to the judges,” said sophomore Aiden Anderson said. “The festival has made me stronger playing percussion songs.”
Wind Ensemble will be performing the same pieces as they had at the festival. This clinic is held by UNLV in which graduates will help both groups father their music pieces and improve their skills in playing.
“I am looking forward to learning from graduate students that go to UNLV,” sophomore Adrian Yu said. “They have helped successful musicians in the past.”
Another Grammy award winning music program, Green Valley High School, will also be attending this concert trip.
“It will be a great chance for students to be taught how music is played and what it is like at a college level,” Parent club booster Peggy Otsubo said.
The graduate students at UNLV will be giving feedback to both Green Valley High School and Mira Costa about each piece.
“The feedback that the graduates will give to the students will help them achieve their full potential,” Carlson said. “They have been doing a great job with the pieces and I hope they continue to impress the UNLV staff and Green Valley High School this weekend.”
Jazz Band will play at a country club and then will have a nice dinner and dance when they are not playing.
“It will be a lot of fun to be playing with all my friends at the country club and enjoy a fancy dinner after,” Yu said.
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