250 Students Participate in Kaleidoscope Concert

Over 250 student musicians shared their talents last Saturday during two Kaleidoscope Concerts held at the Jasper County High School (JCHS) auditorium.

The money raised from the event (over $5,000) will be divided among the system music departments to help purchase instruments and equipment.

The evening provided a constant variety of music and types of instruments in a fast-paced presentation. Ensembles were positioned on stage, in the aisles, in the wings, near the sound booth and towards the back of the auditorium.

Students of all ages were inspired by watching all the talented musicians.

The evening started with the very basics of music with Jasper County Primary School (JCPS) students singing Do-Re-Mi from the Sound of Music.

Immediately after, a middle school brass ensemble composed of Joshua Payne, William Robinson, Tyler Aldridge, and Jasper County Middle School (JCMS) band director Ray Buck performed followed by the Hurricane Breeze Steel Drums, playing a medley of Michael Jackson hits.

Fifth graders at Washington Park Elementary School (WPES) performed on stage using Boomwackers set to music.

Broox Shannon, an eighth grader at JCMS, then played the first movement of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 8, known as Sonata Pathetique.

The JCMS Jazz ensemble performed Gospel by Carl Strommen.

Performers included Broox Shannon, Nolan Crane, Brendon Haddock and Mason Eason (playing bass part on the tuba) in the rhythm section, Tyler Aldridge, Diana Davis, Joshua Kent, Moses Manning, William Robinson, Asron Snyder and Stephanie Wiltshire in the wind section with Madison Rae soloing on trumpet and Judson Gordon soloing on alto saxophone.

The JCHS Percussion ensemble was then featured on the stage followed by Aaron Newton and Dean Smith on guitars playing an original Jerry Reed medley.

The sixth grade band performed on stage a vocal and instrumental lyrical arrangement of Amazing Grace and a rock tune entitled Indigo Rock followed by fourth graders on the back risers performing on recorders to music.

The JCHS Symphonic Band performed It Had Better Be Tonight on stage and then were joined by Matthew Jernigan, Wayne Bennett and Chris Savage on trumpets for a performance of Leroy Anderson’s Bugler’s Holiday.

Third grade students then took to the aisles performing on Boomwackers set to music immediately followed by another piece performed by the Hurricane Breeze Steel Drums.

The middle school seventh and eighth grade performed two pieces on stage, including the last movement of Dvorak’s New World Symphony and Soul Bossa Nova by Quincy Jones.

A high school ensemble performed Glenn Miller’s In the Mood, with Taylor Powell playing the saxophone and Taylor Edwards on trombone, Austin Norwood and Clay Evans on trumpet and Hunter Poteet on drum set.

A staff ensemble, featuring the primary and elementary school music teacher Kim Savage on clarinet, performed Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet in A Major in front of the curtain. The ensemble included JCMS band director Ray Buck, a North Carolina trumpet teacher and performer Wayne Bennett, middle school band director Matthew Jernigan, and JCHS band director Chris Savage.

A high school jazz ensemble performed on stage, and then Levi Ford played the piano and sang with Anna Parker, performing their first place winning Kiwanis act of Say Something. Guard members Ashton Chapman, Jade Massey, Samantha Tally and Kaleigh Tarleton joined the piece for a very interesting visual and musical act.

Following a video slide show of the student musicians as they prepared for the night’s activities, the drumline entered the theater followed by the Marching Hurricanes.

Everyone took part in the finale, a rendition of Dance to the Music, led by senior and drum major James Sampson.