The Turkey Hill Middle School

Music Department celebrates earning

3 Gold Performance Ratings

at the

2010 Great East Music Festival.

  On Friday, May 21^st, over 130 Turkey Hill Middle School Musicians and Chaperones, under the direction of Mr. Steve Archambault, traveled to the North Andover Middle School in a musical quest to participate in the 2010 Great East Music Festival. Held in the spring of each year, this festival attracts hundreds of musical ensembles from all over New England. 

  For many, this was the first time they would be performing "on the road".  We eagerly boarded 3 school buses at 6:45 in the morning and began our quest.  Upon arriving to the North Andover Middle School the Intermediate and Advanced Concert Bands were immediately ushered into a warm-up room to begin the process.  Every one settled down as Mr. A ran the bands through their paces, starting with mouthpieces, rhythms, longs tones and a chromatic scale. 

From there the bands enter onto the stage to prepare for their performance.  Everyone was nervous but quickly settled down to play the music they had been rehearsing for several months.  The Intermediate Band performed "Starsplitter Fanfare" and "Cowboy Cattle Drive".  Each one breathed a sigh of relief as the final chord was struck.  After a short clinic with one of the judges the band was awarded a Gold rating of excellence for their performance.  Each child beamed with pride.

The Advanced Band then focused to the task.  The bar was set and they needed to play with total concentration.  Alast, they were up to the task.  After their performance of "Fanfare and Fugue", Pirates of the Barbary Coast", and the THMS School Song "On Wisconsin", the judges also awarded the band a Gold Rating of excellence. At this point everyone was speechless and smiling from ear to ear.

The bands left the North Andover Auditorium and preceded to join the THMS Chorus in the Recital Hall.  Chorus members quickly congratulated the bands on their awards as they organized themselves on the risers to warm-up and prepare for their festival performance.  The chorus rose to the occasion.  They were focused and sang their best.  Several months of effort and rehearsal paid off as the judges for the third time awarded a Gold rating to the chorus.  THMS band members immediately rose to their feet and offered a standing ovation.  For the first time, in the history of the Turkey Hill Middle School, the musicians of the THMS Music Department had been awarded three Gold Performance Ratings.

With large smiles both the band and chorus members traveled to Canobie Lake park in Salem NH to celebrate their efforts with an afternoon of fun, friendship and rides.