On Tuesday December 9th Cape Coral High School’s jazz band will be partaking in a joint concert with Mariner Middle School. The concert will be open to the public for anyone to come and listen.
The Cape High and Mariner Middle band will collectively play “A Charlie Brown Christmas” arranged by Paul Murtha. As well, each band will play their own pieces, however those are not yet disclosed. The Cape High jazz band has begun individually rehearsing and will join Mariner Middle to rehearse post winter break on December first.
Phillip Munoz, 12th grader, jazz band frontline leader, and brass captain expressed that the concert can be a fun time for all to attend as “everyone knows them [the tunes] and loves them,”. “We will simply be providing a space to play, we’ll play a song with them as well as a song of our own,” said Munoz.
The purpose of the concert is to encourage the middle school musicians to continue playing when they enter high school. Munoz explained the band aims to “encourage a space where the middle schoolers can see a higher level of music to maybe inspire them to continue with this route through high school,”.
When eighth grade comes, it is often a big decision for musicians to decide whether or not to continue down that musical path during high school. Yet those who have stuck with band have deemed it worth the time, and they wish to set Mariner’s middle schoolers down that same path.
Senior brass section leader, Jason Goodrich decided to keep his musical journey going into high school through watching high schoolers play, the same thing the current middle schoolers will be doing. Goodrich explained, “my brother had played in the jazz band previously and I went to most of their concerts,”. “Hopefully the middle schoolers also see it [jazz band] in the same light as I once did and take us as an inspiration of what they can become or even surpass,” explained Goodrich.
Sophomore flutist Layla Henning expressed her love for band saying what motivated her “was the love and passion it brought,” and she feels she made the right choice to continue as “it’s given me more opportunities to flourish as not only a musician but as an individual.”
Munoz felt his motivation was similar to the one he wants to spread at the concert, as he joined because “seeing how all the seniors were had made me want to continue and be good,”.
Others kept with band for more individual reasons. Sophomore clarinet and saxophone player Natalie Vo feels what pushed her to continue was her middle school band director. She explained, “not only did he teach me the beauty of music but he also was like a father to me,”.Â
She feels strongly that this was the right path for her, “I never regret this decision. After every last note of each concert, it makes me realize how far I’ve come, which makes every part of the process so exceptionally rewarding,”.Â
