Crossroads 2023 Niwot High School Band concert

Getting up in the morning is a lot to ask any teenager, and asking students to be ready at 8 a.m. for a dress rehearsal sounds nearly impossible. But not to the Niwot High School band and Wade Hendricks, the NHS Band Director.

On May 18, at 8 a.m. sharp, band students were on stage with their instruments and their commitment to one last rehearsal this school year.

At this early hour, the Niwot High School auditorium felt subdued. "They are slowly waking up,"

said Hendricks tenderly. He and two other conductors, Kyle Thomas (student teacher) and

Gus Brockmann (guest conductor and composer), gently encouraged students to warm up, focus, and connect to the music and other band members.

"They will do just fine tonight," said Hendricks confidently. Clearly, he knew these students better than anyone in the room, including the students themselves.

Later that day, at 6 p.m., the auditorium was filled with a different vibe. The bands' final performances of the year, entitled "Crossroads" was about to begin.

The audience was settled in their seats, and the stage was ready for the Left Hand Jazz Ensemble to start off the evening's performances. The first tune, "Dat Dere" by Bobby Timmons, was well received, but the next two, "We Don't Talk about Bruno" from the hit movie "Encanto," and "Backlash" by Donald Pickett, made it evident that the students on stage and those in the audience were not only fully awake but were fully engaged and contagiously enthusiastic.

"Backlash," which the jazz band performed earlier this year at the Skyline Jazz Festival, earned the distinction of "excellent" for the band.

NHS Advanced Jazz Band (known as The Niwot All-Stars) followed with the first tune, "West

Coast Blues'' by Wes Montgomery. Next, the theme from the "Gusty Garden Galaxy" and "Bob-

Omb Battlefield," composed by Koji Kondo, brought an enthusiastic ovation from the audience.

The solo parts steered up some cheer, especially the tenor saxophone performed by Lucas Haratsaris, a graduating senior, who has chosen to continue on the music path next year in college.

Kaitlyn Duncan announced the intermission and invited the audience to donate to the band by

purchasing hats and stickers, and to take advantage of the food truck serving churros, with a

portion of the proceeds coming back to support the band. Duncan's bold and entertaining personality made everyone laugh and consider making a purchase.

Percussion Ensemble began the second part of the concert. First, "Clave & Sons" by Eric Rath explored many of the most popular Afro-Cuban instruments, including congas, timbales, guiro, and claves. Next was "Cop Drama" by Jim Casella, with groovy, retro sounds that the musicians truly enjoyed playing and the audience enjoyed hearing.

After a quick stage reseat, Niwot Symphonic Band was ready to perform. The music took the

audience on a musical journey through the United States. "Soundscapes" by Chandler L. Wilson

featured aspects of Florida's geography and culture; "Montana" by Jan Van Der Roost reflected

the vast landscape for which that state is famous; "Restart" written and conducted by local

composer Gus Brockmann was a stop in Colorado; and the final piece took the audience to a state to the east, Kentucky, with "Songs of Old Kentucky" composed by Brant Karrick.

The 2023 NHS Band Concert was a success. It was also a celebration of music, mentorship, and friendship with seniors moving on their new paths.

The musicians had worked with Kyle Thomas, the student-teacher since March 2023. It was apparent that the students were very fond of Thomas and vice-versa. "I got to come into work every day having fun and making music," said Thomas. He conducted more than half of the concert, which was an opportunity for him to build rapport with the students as well as confidence as a teacher. He has already accepted a position as Director of Bands at Heath Middle School in Greeley, Colorado, where he will use his experience working with the NHS band under Wade Hendricks' mentorship.

The band had a unique opportunity to work with local composer Gus Brockmann, who wrote

"Restart" specifically for this band. During the concert, Brockmann was given the Cougar

Guardian Award which is given each year to select people or groups who have worked on behalf of the NHS students to support their musical development.

The concert was more than a musical experience. The audience got to witness talent, vibrant

personalities, fun and entertaining attitudes, respect, the product of tons of work, and a sense of purpose on the part of the musicians.