CSU East Bay hosts high school music festival

High school students from around the Bay Area convened in the theatre building on California State University, East Bay’s campus Friday to perform alongside the university’s Wind Symphony as part of the 26th Annual Instrumental Music Festival, an event designed to give teen musicians the experience of playing on a college campus.

The audience in the theatre was filled with parents, conductors, and friends along with the high school band members waiting in the audience listening to CSUEB’s Wind Symphony open the show.

The symphony’s cinematic 30-minute set opened with a mystical feel with the dominating sounds of woodwinds that sounded like the music from the film “Avatar.”

Following the Wind Symphony the youth played a total of four songs, directed by Danielle Gaudry. In the beginning section of the performance, the teens had a very classic orchestral sound, but further into it, a more adventurous tone developed, due to the change from brass instruments to percussion and woodwinds.

The high school students were given sheet music a day before the concert. After they got the sheet music they spent all day with CSUEB’s Director of Bands Danielle Gaudry practicing four songs; “Chorale and Alleluia” by Howard Hanson, “Kilimanjaro” by Robert Washburn, “Salvation is Created” by Pavel Tchesnokov, and “First Suite in F” by Thom Ritter George.

Despite the fact that the orchestra was assembled just the day before, students tackled each piece with no slip-ups and made it look effortless.

“I didn’t find it that hard, it’s just a very long day,” said Andrew Thomas, a sophomore, shrugging his shoulders.

“It was kind of nerve wrecking in the beginning getting used to all the bands but it ends up really fun,” said Conor Falvey, a junior after the show.

Bay Area high school music directors recommended a total of 90 students to participate in the music event, based on ability and the instrument they play. Gaudry determined the final 40 or so participants.

The all-day festival included a raffle for a $300 scholarship to a music camp or a $50 music repair prize. Thomas, from Castro Valley High School, won the $50 prize, and Falvey, from El Camino High, won the $300 prize.

“There was a lot of variety, the students did really well,” said Gaudry after the event was finished.” The show was an overall success she said.

This event happens once a year during Fall quarter with an all day practice that is open to the public, leading to the final 7:30 p.m. show.