Seeking Middle School Musicians to Maintain a Tradition of Excellence

The Arundel High School has a long-standing tradition of musical excellence. Through the years, Arundel’s musical ambassadors have represented the school in national level high school competitions – with Orlando, Toronto, Boston, Myrtle Beach and Gatlinburg just five of the many places Arundel High School has traveled to compete against other high school music programs.

Its marching band competes annually in regional Tournament of Bands competitions and it music plays a vital role in supporting and spreading the spirit of “Wildcat Pride” at athletic events and in the community year-round. Its Jazz Band has won two consecutive University of Maryland-Eastern Shore Jazz Festival competitions and has performed at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. In 12 years, the Arundel Color Guard – a vital element of the Arundel music program – has captured 10 championship medals and a slew of trophies for their performances in the Keystone Indoor Drill Association (KIDA) – made up of schools from five states.

All these successes come because our musicians and guard members come through the ranks of Arundel’s elementary and middle school feeder systems. As each graduating students depart Arundel High, the band relies on the musical students at Crofton and Arundel Middle Schools to bring their basic talents to Arundel to join this marvelous program and to keep the Arundel music program strong.

The program needs musicians from the middle school programs to take the next step and become the next best Arundel High School musicians. However, there’s been a decrease in upcoming musicians the last couple of years. In response, Dr. Phillip Butts, the Director of Music at Arundel High School, and the Arundel Instrumental Music Association (AIMA) – the music booster organization of Arundel High – are looking to work with the music directors of each elementary and middle school in Arundel’s feeder system on initiatives that will inform parents and students of middle school and elementary school programs of the importance of music in our schools.

At the same time, this partnership is also striving to work with students in all of Arundel feeder schools on a variety of programs that will have high school students visiting and performing with middle school musicians to prepare them for the move up to high school and encourage them to keep music in their high school schedules.

“The music program is a very important and visible part of Arundel High School – our student body rallies around it during football games and our community relies on us,” said Mitch Wightman, AIMA’s vice president and chair of the AIMA’s Music Outreach Committee. “But in order for us to provide the musical support to our school and our community, we need to convince music students and their parents coming up through the schools that music that the program at Arundel has promising aspects.

To initially help drive those goals home, high school band members have already made trips to Arundel Middle School to work with musicians and promote the music programs. They’ve attended middle school classes during their lunch breaks and band classes to perform and recruit students for next year. The high school is currently looking to work with Crofton Middle on similar trips.

AIMA is also promoting the use of the Arundel Band Web Site www.arundelband.org  to help parents and students learn about the band, and selected AIMA parents and students are planning to set up Arundel information booths at middle school and elementary school concerts this spring to answer questions and present videos and slide briefings on the high school programs.

However, the biggest initiative of the year will be the one the high school band and orchestra is now taking on. From now until the Arundel High School spring concert on May 28, middle school orchestra and band students from both schools will be given the opportunity to rehearse and perform with the high school band and orchestra. Middle school orchestra students will rehearse with Arundel High School’s orchestra on Wednesdays from 2:30 to 5 p.m., while band members will rehearse with the high school concert band on Thursdays from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Details are being worked with all schools to ensure students have permission from parents to participate in the two after-school programs – an effort that will culminate with a full “Side-by-Side” concert at the Arundel High School auditorium on May 28.

Currently, there are opportunities for middle school students to perform with Arundel High School. Seventh and eighth graders from Arundel Middle School have frequently performed with their older siblings in the marching band, learning the band requirements early and using their experience to aid in middle school music programs. Those opportunities remain open to both middle schools, with seventh and eighth graders eligible to attend the annual Arundel High School summer marching band camp, slated for August 4-15 at Arundel High School.

In addition, seventh and eighth graders actively perform and compete with the Arundel color guard. In early April, a six-member Arundel junior varsity guard comprised of five students from Arundel Middle School won the gold medal in their category at the KIDA championships in Hanover, Pa. A sixth middle school student was part of the Arundel varsity squad that took a silver medal in a separate category of the same competition.

There are numerous opportunities for music students to excel – both individually and in ensembles. Arundel musicians compete annually for all county and all state band, orchestra and jazz band. There are competitions for soloists in all instruments. And there is travel. This year, the entire program went to Tennessee. There are also local and regional trips.

Yet Wightman said that none of this happens, if we don’t replenish the program with up and coming students from the middle schools. “High school provides a lot of after-school options for our students, he said. “Our role is to show the up-and-coming musicians that they already have the skills to get them started in our program and that their talents can go a long way toward personal music goals, as well as maintaining the tradition and excellence that is Arundel music.

For more information about the Arundel High School instrumental music program, please visit www.arundelband.org. You may e-mail questions to Mitch Wightman at wightman300@aol.com, Steve Barrett at stevebarrett@verizon.net, or Gerald Cavanaugh at gcavanaugh@aacps.org.

• Side by Side Concert (Spring Concert) will be held on Wednesday, May 28th at Arundel High School
• Attire for concert:  Black pants (slacks) and shoes, with a black button down shirt (or black long sleeved T-shirt)
• Arrival time:  Be in your seats by 6 PM!
• Orientation Night: Tuesday, May 27th (day before the concert) 7 PM in the high school band room.  All incoming freshman (or middle school students that will be participating in high school band/orchestra next year) should plan to attend.
• Need additional information: Send an email to Mr. Cavanaugh at gcavanaugh@aacps.org or Dr. Butts at pbutts@aacps.org