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November 4, 2024

Performances put spotlight on MRHS musicians, dancers

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

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