Every year, schools across New Hampshire select students from their music departments to be involved in a combined music festival. This year consisted of nine different schools: Belmont, Gilford, John Stark, Raymond, Concord, Windham, Bow, Salem, and Goffstown. Hosted at our very own school this year. The Theater, Library, and Step room were all closed due to this festival for the day. The group of students helping with this event stated the main goal of this festival is the final product that comes out of it, a concert performed by all three ensembles: Band, Chorus, and Orchestra. The show was open to the public with tickets available able for purchase. Band ambassador and senior Jemma Penerian relayed, “tickets [will sell] pretty fast, so you better get one before they’re gone!” 

Goffstown senior, Sam Slack, a member of the Orchestra, gave great insight into how the day looked for all music students. Sam, who has been playing viola in the Orchestra for nine years, said that “this was the first year the festival included the Orchestra band.” Of course, it would be challenging to learn a bunch of music in only one day, so the music teachers gave students the three pieces of music a few months in advance so they could start learning and preparing for this day. However, when all the schools come together in the morning, they spent the day going through and practicing these pieces together. Students are given ten-minute breaks in between practicing, as well as lunch and dinner breaks. However, this tiring day was all worth it when the show came together around 7 pm. You are able to buy tickets online, or if you can’t make it, the event is live streamed. Sam told us that a highlight of his day “was getting not one, but two high fives from our conductor during rehearsals.” 

This music festival’s primary outcome and goal is to allow players to gain experience, learn new techniques, become better musicians, and get to perform all of their hard work in the end. If you play an instrument or want to participate in something like this, you should check it out next year. Students take away skills, new friendships, and opportunities from this special day.