The Air Force Comes to Oyster Bay

By Lil Manning

On March 3, 2011 all band students, ranging from fourth grade all the way to twelfth grade are combining their musical talents to form the Cavalcade of Bands. In this event each band will be performing a separate piece to show off their level of skill before coming together for a final group piece. Usually, each band has a separate night to perform the three or four pieces they’ve been working on for a few months.

Since the bands are separated, only the parents and siblings are able to hear the students’ work. But in the Cavalcade of Bands, that won’t be a problem anymore as Stephen Walker, the conductor of the 7th and 8th grade band, said: “One of the nice things is groups hearing the other performing groups. So normally in a concert, you have to wait in the band room, and you don’t get to hear the chorus or the other’s performing and then you go on and do your thing. Here, the idea is that everybody can hear everybody else.”

There are approximately 600 children when the bands are combined, Daniel Friedman, Director of Fine and Performing Arts, estimated around 1,000 people to be in attendance for the event. With this mass of an audience, the concert will be held in the Gymnasium. It will also be free like the usual concerts. Not only will the occasion be entertaining, but it will be an enjoyable learning experience for all the students. As Matthew Sisia, conductor of the Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble, said, he hopes the concert will help the younger students see how much they will improve throughout the years, encouraging them to stick with the band and not give up.

The idea for a Cavalcade of Bands has been recurrent in Oyster Bay for years. Mr. Walker explained how he had started participating when he was only ten, sharing the stage with fathers and mothers of children who attend the school now. Though this will be the first time Mr. Sisia has done the Cavalcade in the eight years he has been teaching in the district, he believes that the event will be a hit, given that the students will be vigorously practicing for the months to come.

Carnegie Hall was an amazing event for everyone who attended, but the experience was only shared with those in the Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble. The Cavalcade of Bands is an opportunity for everyone to join in on the fun.