LINWOOD — It’s the most wonderful time of the year for musicians and dancers at Mainland Regional High School, where they are set to perform in several concerts and showcases in the coming weeks.
The Concert Band, Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble are set to take the stage at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 20, with the Winter Band Concert in the auditorium.
Instrumental music instructor Derek Rohaly said students will be performing holiday music in a wide variety of styles, such as a circus march, a haunted version of “Jingle Bells,” an African “Holy Night,” Chanukah collages and ending with a grand finale that highlights each instrument section in the combined band ensemble.
“This is an exciting time for our students where they get to showcase their hard work for family, friends and the community,” Rohaly said.
The following afternoon, at 3 p.m. Dec. 21, the bands will be teaming up with the Support Our Troops Club and cheerleading squad for an encore performance for veterans and local nursing home residents.
“We really wanted to do something because our event was canceled,” faculty adviser Veronica Fath said. “We wanted to end the year on a good note.”
“I’m extremely excited to have the chance to lead students in an encore performance the next day for our community veterans and seniors. As musicians, we have the unique ability to provide an event that positively impacts a group of people who have sacrificed so much to serve our nation and community,” Rohaly said. “We are thankful and would love to provide music to help them ring in the holiday season.”
Fath said the Support Our Troops Club missed out on an opportunity to salute veterans and active-duty personnel last month at the Mustang Corral when an exhibition football game was canceled because the other team’s players came down with COVID-19.
“We missed out on an opportunity, so we decided it would be really nice to have a day concert for senior citizens and veterans,” Fath said, noting the cheerleaders had choreographed a routine for the football game and now would perform it in the auditorium.
Jessica Gonzalez is the cheerleading coach and Lauren Ashley the Baking Club adviser.
Special surprises await attendees, including treats from the Baking Club and a military salute.
Fath said each branch of the military would be acknowledged and members asked to stand.
“We will be giving Christmas gifts to anyone who stands up to be acknowledged,” Fath said, noting they will have the opportunity to sign the Support Our Troops Club star of service. “Everyone will leave with a treat from the Baking Club.”
Fath said they invited residents of the veterans home in Vineland but they were unable to travel so the club will be taking cards and small gifts to them before Christmas.
Dance instructor Clare Eger said the Holiday Dance Showcase is scheduled for 3 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 22.
“This is a showcase of student-choreographed dances,” Eger said, noting admission is free and there will be a collection for Project Holiday Spirit.
Concert Band
Flute: Maeve Donohoe, Tabitha McGinty
Clarinet: Karrigan Byrd, Debraj Chakraborty, Joey Hemphill
Bass Clarinet: Isaiah Raiker
Alto Sax: Wolf Antolini, Wesley Leap, Tyler Nuttall, Lily Wineland
Trumpet: Benjamin Baldwin, Tyler Buccafurni, Jessica Cipkins, Isabella Iordanov
French Horn: Sarah Shenkus
Percussion: Christian Orlowski, Arindom Paul, Joshua Rivera, Julian Simmerman
Symphonic Band
Flute: Aixell Perez-Mercedes, Camila Ramos-Reyna, Anna Santori
Clarinet: Vedant Chopra, Abigail Lahey, Melany Lino-Melo, Mithun Roy
Alto Sax: Hilary Madrid Dominguez, Jacob Mozdzan, Megan Pruitt
Tenor Sax: Theodore Rowe, Karsten Sundra
Baritone Sax: Harrison LaMonaca
French Horn: Miles Moore, Samuel Leopardi
Trumpet: Karim Aksenov, Charles Litow, Gio Mexquititla-Diaz, Jonathan Perez, Ben Rosenberg, Daniel Tracy
Euphonium: Liam Michel
Trombone: Kenneth Moore
Tuba: Miller Lichtenwalner, Nicholas Whiteley
Piano: Tyler Nese-Santos
Percussion: Nicholas Ciampa, Joseph D’Alessandro, Aniya McCabe
Joseph McCabe
Wind Ensemble
Flute: Lyndsey Christian, Madison Conroy, Isabella D’Agostino, Elizabeth Ong, Claire Wurzer
Oboe: Andrew Alexis, Christina Htay
Clarinet: Edward Duversaint, Jay Georges, Jack Roscoe
Alto Sax: Nova Bansal, Nathan Fontana, Samuel Leopardi
Tenor Sax: Arjun Appel
Baritone Sax: Nicholas Whiteley
French Horn: Cassidy Rubinfine, Audrey Seals
Trumpet: Mason Bushay, Olivia D’Alessandro, Peter Fabietti, Ethan Mitnick, Miles Moore, Scott Roscoe, Philip Stefanowicz, Derrick Wang
Euphonium: Hannah Cipkins, Gillian Lovett
Trombone: Tristan Miller
Tuba: Andrew Sarraiocco, Thomas Shenkus
Percussion: Luke Fabietti, Samuel Goldstein, Katie Leonard, Thomas McCabe, Jack Walcoff, Alston Wang
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
