Band camp ends first week with rousing performance

WESTFIELD — Band camp ended its first week with a performance in the auditorium of the Westfield Middle School attended by enthusiastic families eager to hear what their young musicians had been learning all week.

Attendance in the first week was 85 fifth to 12th graders, with 125 expected to participate overall. "Many will do both weeks," said Westfield Public Schools Instrumental Music Director Patrick Kennedy, adding that he enjoys the fact that he's been doing the camp long enough now that he sees the kids come back each year.

Kennedy and William Choe, the Westfield Intermediate School's band director, Ryan Emken at Westfield Middle School, and Gina Clark, who teaches band and chorus in elementary school, led the student musicians in learning songs as diverse as "Oye Como Va" and musical selections from the soundtracks for "Black Panther" and "Guardians of the Galaxy."

Kennedy said he also had five or six high school seniors helping throughout the week as mentors.

"Oye Como Va" featured nine students improvising as soloists, all of whom volunteered, ranging from a fifth grade flautist to more experienced juniors and seniors

Kennedy said the music from the "Guardians of the Galaxy," which featured a medley of several songs in the film, was the most difficult and he had Choe, Emken and Clark all playing their instruments with the band. He said at first some of the younger players were unsure whether they could play it, but during the performance the piece came together, earning rousing applause from the audience.

"One of the skills we constantly work on is not just musical skill but rehearsal skills; to learn how to be a team player, to concentrate and focus," Kennedy said..

Clark said during the week, she directed the fifth and sixth graders with Choe on music that was appropriate to them as well as working on basic skills. She said band camp "is a great way for students to develop their skills and not take the entire summer off. For fifth graders, they were able to meet students they will be in band with in the fall.".

Asked if band camp was fun, Clark didn't hesitate. "Yes, so much fun! They are having a blast here!"

Kennedy said everyone is in summer mode. He said it took him two hours the first day to get his teacher voice back.

He said during band camp the students work on building skills, but It also helps in a multitude of other ways. It gives kids an opportunity to play; helps families with younger kids who are renting instruments a way to keep their hands on it, and it's good for the kids to meet their new band directors before school starts.

"It's good for the directors, too, to spend time with each other. I just turned 63 and I'm still learning from the other directors," Kennedy said.

Before the performance, Kennedy said to the musicians, "I'm excited for it, and proud of the work you've put in." When it was time to begin, he welcomed friends and family.

"We have certainly enjoyed our time building our skills and becoming a band. On the first day, it was a bunch of kids holding their instruments," he said.

Introducing Clark, Choe and Emken, Kennedy said, "I happen to think we have the best instrumental staff in all of Western Mass."

He thanked Westfield Middle School Principal Jesse McMillan for letting them use the school for band camp. Later in the program he also recognized and thanked Rep. Kelly Pease for securing the funding for next year's band camp, through a $10,000 earmark in the state budget.

Pease thanked Senator John Velis for his support on the Senate side. "We're a team," he said.

Kennedy then introduced Choe to conduct the first piece. "I think we have the best music department in the commonwealth, not just Western Mass.," Choe said before lifting his baton.

Read the original article on MassLive .