CAROLING TO A PARTY NEAR YOU; STUDENT MUSICIANS HAVE HOLIDAY CHEER FOR HIRE.Byline: Mary Schubert Daily News Staff Writer Christmas caroling: It's not just for singers anymore. Just ask the members of Carols in Brass and Woods, students at Hart High School Hart High School may refer to:
It's Christmas spirit with a large dollop of entrepreneurship, because the student musicians charge $50 for each 20-minute live performance, and all the proceeds go straight to Hart High's band fund - to pay for the purchase or repair of band instruments, cleaning of their marching band Noun 1. marching band - a band that marches (as in a parade) and plays music at the same time band - instrumentalists not including string players uniforms, and travel expenses to band competitions. This year, the musicians are raising money for a weeklong trip to Florida in April for band competitions and performances, along with visits to Disney World, Epcot Center and even Cape Canaveral Cape Canaveral (kənăv`ərəl), low, sandy promontory extending E into the Atlantic Ocean from a barrier island, E Fla., separated from Merritt Island by the Banana River, a lagoon; named (1963) Cape Kennedy in memory of President John . ``We're going to play `The Star Spangled span·gle n. 1. A small, often circular piece of sparkling metal or plastic sewn especially on garments for decoration. 2. A small sparkling object, drop, or spot: spangles of sunlight. Banner' at the launch of the space shuttle space shuttle, reusable U.S. space vehicle. Developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), it consists of a winged orbiter, two solid-rocket boosters, and an external tank. ,'' said Hart High band director David Loeb David Loeb (b. 1939) is an American composer of contemporary classical music. He has written extensively for early music instruments such as the viol, as well as instruments from China and Japan. He teaches at the Mannes College of Music and the Curtis Institute of Music. . The musicians play in groups of woodwinds - flutes and clarinets with soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophones; brass - trumpets, trombones and tubas
Tubas (Arabic: طوباس ; and strings - violins, violas and cellos, Loeb said. Loeb and his musicians estimated that their bookings have netted the band more than $1,000 this holiday season. On Sunday, the woodwinds were scheduled to play a private party in Sand Canyon. On Saturday night, a group of saxophonists entertained at Hart High's annual dinner for hundreds of local needy residents. A few blocks away, the ensemble of brass carolers was hired to play during a dinner party at Valley Oaks Village, a 250-unit senior citizens apartment complex in Newhall. The grandmother of one of the student musicians lives at the complex. ``The (teen's) mother wanted to hire the band to provide entertainment for the seniors,'' said Joan Farrington, activities director at Valley Oaks Village. Also this month, the brass group performed during a holiday-themed ``progressive dinner'' hosted by United Methodist Church United Methodist Church, in the United States, religious body formed by the union in 1968 of the Evangelical United Brethren Church and the Methodist Church (see Methodism). of Valencia, and has appeared at the Old Orchard neighborhood clubhouse, the Valencia Summit clubhouse, the American Red Cross American Red Cross: see Red Cross. center, the holiday tree lighting ceremony at Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital, Heritage Junction, the Saugus Swap Meet swap meet n. An informal gathering for the barter or sale of used articles or handicrafts. , Granary Square shopping center and a number of house parties, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. a representative of the Hart High Band Boosters. ``Christmas carols are some of the prettiest songs around,'' said Jacob Hodes, 16, a trumpeter in the brass group whose mother, Esther, handles the carolers' bookings. ``Every day, I come home and it's a bombardment of phone calls (to hire the ensembles). ``It's really become popular. This year, we're pretty busy,'' the Princeton-bound senior said. The carolers' repertoire includes a dozen songs: ``Joy to the World,'' ``Hark! The Herald Angels Sing Hark! the Herald Angels Sing traditional Christmas carol. [Western Culture: “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing” in Rockwell, 132–133] See : Christmas ,'' ``Deck the Halls,'' ``Oh, Tannenbaum,'' ``Silent Night,'' ``Jingle Bells,'' ``Angels We Have Heard on High,'' ``Here Comes Santa Claus,'' ``Frosty the Snowman,'' ``The Christmas Song,'' ``Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,'' and ``Santa Claus is Coming to Town.'' Hodes said the brass ensemble tends to play jazzy jazz·y adj. jazz·i·er, jazz·i·est 1. Resembling jazz in form or nature; rhythmical. 2. Slang Showy; flashy: a jazzy car. versions for some of the carols and mellow renditions of others. `` `Frosty' tends to be the favorite at the parties we play. It puts people in the holiday mood,'' he said. Among the group's engagements have been a copy store in Canyon Country and a shopping center on Lyons Avenue. ``Some places hire us to attract business . . . to draw people into their stores,'' Hodes said. Senior Rob Crockett, 17, plays the soprano saxophone in another ensemble. He said performing at parties, where the audience is directly in front of the musicians, is a change from band members' usual slate of marching at parades and football game halftime shows, or in the formal setting of a concert in an auditorium. ``It's fun at the parties - it's a little more informal . . . and interactive,'' Crockett said. ``Sometimes, we're hired and expected to do a concert. They're all sitting real quietly,'' the saxophonist added. ``Those are really tough, because we consider ourselves to be background music at a party.'' There's also a tinge of anxiety involved with performing in a small ensemble. ``You can't mess up, really. You can't miss a note,'' Crockett said. ``You don't want to sound bad when (the audience) is right there in front of you.'' CAPTION(S): 2 Photos PHOTO (1 -- color) Hart High musicians, from left, Walter Chen, Ron Crockett, Ryan Boyajian and Sean Anderson perform at a holiday event in Newhall. (2 -- color) To the sound of student musicians, Santa asks Oscar Ramirez, 7, about his Christmas wishes at a Hart High volunteer event. John Lazar/Special to the Daily News |
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