Instrumental Music Departmental Awards for 2005

John Philip Sousa Award- Ray Bundy

Director’s Honors Awards:

Outstanding Pianist of the Year- Dale Mihalovich
Outstanding Composer of the Year- Joelle Harding
Outstanding Senior Musician of the Year- Benjamin Hastings
Outstanding Junior Musician of the Year- Laurel Fraczkowski
Outstanding Sophomore Musician of the Year- Joshua Stokes
Outstanding Freshman Musician of the Year- Brittany Lampe

Congratulations to everyone for doing an outstanding job this year! Have a wonderful summer!

Raquel Davenport will be performing three solos for her senior recital, one which will include dancers from the Arts Academy Dance Department, and also three duets: one saxophone duet and two piano accompaniments.

The performance will be in the AAW auditorium, Tuesday, May 10, 2005 at 7:00 pm.

 

 

Matthew Kazor will present Native American flute and dance. An explanation of the traditions upon which the performance is based will also be incorporated in this senior project. His performance will include dancers from the Southeast Michigan Indians Incorporated (SEMII) and musical accompaniment from Craig Shephard on keyboard and synthesizer.

Matthew is a member of SEMII. His native American heritage has played a big part in his life. He hopes this presentation will give people a better understanding of the Native America culture and traditions.

The performance will be in the AAW auditorium, Thursday, May 12, 2005 at 7:00 pm.

 

 

 

 

Alan Stecher will be playing six pieces created over a period of six months. They have a futuristic sound, and dance beats. A score titled "Canyon Opening" is a piece which will enlighten your senses into the majestic opening of a canton. The recital will be May 17, at 7:00 pm. See Alan at school for location and directions.

Dale Mihalovich will be performing the Mozart Sonata in G (1st Movement), the Beethoven Sonata in G (2nd Movement), an original senior project composition in D (all movements), and Beethoven Pathetique (2nd Movement).

The performance is in the AAW auditorium on Thursday, May 19th, at 7:00 pm.

The senior recital of Brandon Langford was held on May 2nd at 7:00 pm in the Arts Academy library. The performance featured traditional Scottish pieces played on the highland and lowland bagpipes, and included a selection with fiddle accompaniment.

 

AAW Instrumental Music Department Spring Concert! April 20, 2005
AAW Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.

The Instrumental Music Department of AAW, in conjunction with the AAW Ballet Company, will hold its annual Spring Concert on April 20, at the AAW Auditorium, 12900 Frazho, Warren, Michigan, at 7:30 p.m.

Featured on this program will be the AAW Ballet Company, performing with a 16-piece instrumental ensemble, They will be performing AAW Junior Jeff Jimison’s composition entitled Pachelbel’s Howitzer. The piece is entirely a production of AAW Students, from the composition of the music to the choreography of the ballet, and is really fun! We will also be featuring professional flutist, Mr. Dennis Carter, performing Vivaldi’s Bullfinch Concerto, for flute solo and string orchestra.

Also performing at the concert will be members of the AAW Orchestra, performing works for small orchestra, Roumanian Dances, by Bartok, “Dance of the Tumblers” from The Bartered Bride, by Smetana, and two chamber works for two violins and piano, featuring Amelia Vance and Josh Stokes playing violin; Ben Hastings and Isabelle Weiss playing piano. The works are by the French baroque composer Loeillet, and the Russian twentieth-century composer Shostakovich.

The Wind Ensemble will be playing Timothy Broege’s Sinfonia Six, and will also be performing the pieces with which they earned their “Superior Division” rating at band festival this year: Gallant Marines March, Garden of the Black Rose, and Old Irish Tune.

Please join us at the Arts Academy Auditorium for an evening of great music and dance on April 20. The concert is free to AAW students, and children under 12. All others, four dollar minimum donation requested.

Uniform Drive

New Uniforms! The AAW Instrumental Music Department’s new uniform is a black blazer, with the round AAW Emblem on in forest green lettering, with a cream background. Students wear clay colored pants and a white shirt with it and they look STUNNING! We are stunned already! Special thanks to those kind souls who participated in the Instrumental Music Uniform Drive. We raised a total of $436.50 of the $2300 needed. If you would still care to donate, please, please make checks payable to AAW, and drop them off for Mr. Boyd.

The student who participated was: Joelle Harding. Parents who participated were: David and Tina Ruth, Shawn Pardue and Paul Bratfish, Jeanne Coker, Tim and Terry Vance, David and Debra Fargo. Board members Jim and Barb Higginbottom also helped out.

Thanks for you help!!! Look for another fundraiser soon to help finish paying off these handsome uniforms!

Ratings

Congratulations to AAW Students Laurel Fraczkowski, French Horn, and Benjamin Hastings, Trombone. They both received First Division Ratings at State Solo and Ensemble on March 19 at Harrison High School in Farmington. At State Festival, students participate in a “Proficiency” Examination. This year, Junior Fraczkowski went at the Proficiency II Level, and Hastings at the Proficiency III Level. Students perform a solo, then sight read, and then play major and minor scales for a professional judge who rates the overall performance. Good work, you two, as usual! Your hard work and dedication to music is a joy for all who listen!

Congratulations to the AAW Wind Ensemble for their First Division Rating at the MSBOA District Sixteen Band and Orchestra Festival on March 5. Way to go, folks! You worked hard for it, and you should be proud of yourselves. Good Work!

All of our students who went to MSBOA District Sixteen Solo and Ensemble Festival Received First Division Ratings.

Congratulations to Benjamin Hastings, trombone; Laurel Fraczkowski, French Horn; Jeff Jimison, contrabassoon; Stephanie Fargo, piano; and Alan Wagner, violin and clarinet. State Solo and Ensemble will be coming up for these folks on March 19 at Harrison High School in Farmington. Again, congratulations.

Junior Jeff Jimison recently won a place in the Michigan Honors Composition Contest Concert! He composed a piece called “Pachelbel’s Howitzer in C”, which is a parody of the famous work by Pachelbel, Canon in D. Jeff was competing with over 200 composition entries for this honor, and the AAW Wind Ensemble played the piece on January 19 for the Michigan Music Educator’s In-Service Conference, on the campus of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. We heard student works from grades K-12. What a great experience this was! We heard some great creativity. We also drove through a horrible snow storm to get there.

Timothy Boyer, working on a "beat" during composition/piano class.