Area Middle School Students To Perform With NIC Symphony

More than 300 middle school students from throughout the region will perform with the North Idaho College Wind Symphony in the annual "Gathering of the Bands" concert at 7:30pm on November 18 in the Boswell Hall Schuler Performing Arts Center.

This annual event brings together eighth-grade band members from area middle schools for a joint performance with peers and mentors.

Students from Woodland Middle School, Canfield Middle School, Sandpoint Middle School, Lakes Middle School, Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy, Timberlake Junior/Senior High School, Bonners Ferry Middle School, Lakeland Junior High School, Post Falls Middle School, Lakeside Middle School, River City Middle School, St. Maries Middle School, Clark Fork Jr./Sr. High School, Kellogg Middle School and Newport Middle School will combine to form two separate bands that will perform at the concert.

Groups will perform under the direction of guest conductors Ryan Dignan, Sandpoint Middle School band director; Lee Shook, band director at Northwood Middle School in Spokane; and Dave Weatherred the music and arts supervisor for School District 81 in Spokane. The groups will perform pieces such as the David Shaffer arrangement of "Sousa, Sousa, Sousa," a Jay Boccok piece called "Aztec Fire" and a special percussion piece.

The NIC Wind Symphony, conducted by NIC band director Terry Jones, will feature an Aaron Copland piece called "Lincoln Portrait," which will be narrated by NIC Choir Director Max Mendez.

All of the bands will join together for the performance of John Phillip Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever March" as the concert's grand finale.

"The combination of youthful energy from the middle school students and the experience of the NIC Wind Symphony's phenomenal musicians makes this the event of the year," Jones said.

The concert is free and open to the public. For more information, call 208-769-3276.