Percussion ensemble presenting concert
Anna Beth Mitchell, Christian Aguirre, and other seventh grade members of the RHS Percussion Ensemble practice an arrangement of Dave Matthew’s “Satellite” for their concert next Thursday.
Members of the RHS percussion ensemble have been practicing up to once again have the RHS Auditorium swinging with the beats from several genres of music.
The 2nd annual “Pots and Pans to Music Stands” event will be held Thursday, April 10, at 7 p.m. at the RHS Auditorium.
The event features the RHS Percussion Ensemble, which is a group that encompasses all Russellville High School percussion students in grades 6 – 12.
Percussion instructor Scott Stephenson said his students will be presenting music by Beethoven, Ian Briskey, Chris Crockarell, Béla Fleck, Dave Matthews, and many others.
“We have a pretty wide range of music that will be represented at this concert,” Stephenson said.
“Mixing it up this way not only keeps the audience entertained and engaged in the music, but it also challenges the students to branch out musically and to hone their skills.
“Different genres of music require different skill sets, so covering a wide range allows us to work on many different kind of instruments and fine-tune those skills.”
The RHS Percussion Ensemble, now in its second year, was formed as a way to highlight that particular section of the band and help those students improve their skills both individually and as a group.
Stephenson said the “Pots and Pans to Music Stands” event is a great way to show the community what they have been working on this spring semester.
“This is a way to let this group of kids shine and give them the recognition they deserve for all the hard work they’ve put in this semester,” he said.
“But it’s also a really good opportunity for them to have fun and have a good time. I think they have really enjoyed working on the pieces we are going to present and I think that will show in their performance.”
But the RHS Percussion Ensemble isn’t the only group preparing for a showcase.
Members of the RHS Marching Hundred Concert Band will present their annual spring concert at the RHS Auditorium on Thursday, April 15, at 7 p.m.
“All the band students have been working very hard on the spring concert and the percussion ensemble concert,” Stephenson said.
“These concerts will be very entertaining and I hope many people in the community will come out to support them.”
Both concerts will be presented free of charge with donations being collected that will go toward the scholarships the band program gives out to graduating seniors.
