Gary Moskowitz
Once or twice a week, Amanda Rodriguez's parents settle into seats in
the living room and listen to their daughter play the violin.
"My folks make me give them a concert at least once every week,"
said Amanda, 13. "They're just weird like that. They like hearing me
play. I don't mind, because I just like playing music. It's like one
of the things I'm really good at."
Amanda, an eighth-grader at Wilson Middle School, has been playing
the violin for five years. She is one of about 175 students from
Roosevelt, Rosemont, Toll and Wilson middle schools who will perform
at 7 p.m. Saturday during the school district's 17th annual Middle
Schools Honor Orchestra and Band Concert.
Saturday's show is free and open to the public, and will be in the
auditorium at Glendale High School, 1440 E. Broadway.
The band will perform "Stars and Stripes Forever" and selections
from Rodgers and Hammerstein's "The King and I." The string orchestra
will perform the waltz from "Sleeping Beauty" and selections from the
film "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl."
The performance will feature solo performances by flutists Erik
Engle, Kevin Kim and Julie Ma, violinist Claire La Polt and string
bass player Matt Gray.
Students performing in Saturday's show were nominated and selected
by teachers, based on past performances and each student's musical
abilities, said Stan Hatanaka, instrumental music teacher at Toll
Middle.
"One of the nicest things is seeing the kids after the
performance," Hatanaka said. "They are so jazzed and excited and
happy. It's such a positive experience for the kids, something they
will always take with them."
Saturday's performance will be recorded and made available to the
community on CDs, Hatanaka said. People interested in getting copies
of the CD can get forms at the donations table.
About a year ago, the Middle School Honors Orchestra and Band
Concert was one of about 30 events placed on a list of activities
that district officials were considering dropping because of state
budget cuts.
The Glendale Community Foundation and the former Glendale Lions
Club contributed funds to support this year's concert, officials
said.
