Professor Harold Hill has nothing on the band that’s gathering at Ingersoll Stadium on June 15. The Olympia School District is bringing together every single band student in grades 5th through 12th for a free one-night Band Festival. Almost 600 band students will be playing a plethora of instruments, a site Harold Hill only dreamed of. And you’re invited.
The Band Festival has been a year in the making. “I’ve been teaching band in the Olympia School District since 1994, and our school district band staff right now is as talented, passionate, and collaborative as we have ever been,” shares Keith Holder NBCT, Olympia School District band teacher. “We were sharing ideas at one of our monthly collaboration meetings at the end of last school year, and the band director at OHS, Erik Curley, suggested we try this big event at the end of this school year. We knew it would be a major undertaking, but also knew that this would be a great way to showcase the dedication, talent, and teamwork of all of the great musicians in our school district bands.”
The night will include students in 5th grade beginning band to 12th graders who have been in band for many years. The students will be directed by six Olympia School District band teachers: Erik Curley, Maggie Curley, Jessica Ewing, Randy Grostick, Keith Holder, and Tony Nguyen.
It will be quite a site to see, with a huge arrangement of instruments, including flutes, oboes, bassoon, clarinets, saxophones, trumpets, French horns, euphoniums, tubas and, yes, trombones. Many types of percussion instruments will also be played, shares Holder.
The students have enjoyed working with other band members throughout the district, even though it was hard work. “This will be a great opportunity to connect with new friends and make music with kids from different schools,” shares Jacob Moore, who plays the trombone at Madison Elementary School.
Coordinating almost 600 band students from lower, middle and high school is no easy feat. But that’s just what these six teachers have done. Over the course of an hour, combined bands from all 11 elementary schools will perform, then the members from the 4 middle schools, followed by members from Capital and Olympia High School. The accumulation will be all the students playing together. At the same time. Quite a feat for six teachers!
And of course, the music will be upbeat, fun and make you want to dance. “The audience can expect to hear a great variety of music including classical, pop, and music from the movies,” shares Holder.
The students have been working hard all year for this one night, and excitement is in the air. “I’m excited to get to play music with 600 other people and show what we’ve been learning this school year!” shares Kaitlyn Dickason, who plays the clarinet at Washington Middle School.
“This is going to be a fun way to finish my first year in band,” adds Jonathan Cardenas, who plays the clarinet at Madison Elementary School.
Join in the fun and head to Ingersoll Stadium at 7 p.m. on June 15. The event is free and open to the public. Donations will be accepted to support the Olympia School District bands, including the cost of future band festivals. And who knows, there just might be 76 trombones. Why not come and count for yourself? Regardless, it’s sure to be an evening that’s more fun than dancing the Shipoopi.
