Wednesday, December 11, 2024

Celebrating Our Fine Arts Program

Tomorrow night our 5-6 grade band and choir will perform in their winter concert. That will be followed next Monday with our 7-12 grade concert. If you are looking for a great evening of entertainment, I would encourage your attendance! If the success of our music department so far this year is any indication, you will be in for a real treat! Indeed there is a lot to celebrate with their success, and you will no doubt enjoy these programs. As we close out the first semester next week, both the Music and Theatre Department has once again dazzled us with their exceptional talent and creativity. From captivating performances at state level concerts to harmonious melodies filling our auditorium, the department has delivered a series of unforgettable experiences that have left a lasting impression. 

There is no mistaking the fact that the accomplishments of our music department so far this year have filled all of us with immense pride. Perhaps the showcase and center of these accomplishments is the success of our fall musical, 'Anything Goes'. The powerful performances of the entire cast will create lasting memories not only for those students, but for our entire community that had the opportunity to attend. This comprehensive musical had it all, and it was done quite well. From the lighting, costumes, set design, and especially the choreography-it was remarkable! This show as a true testament not only to our director's vision, but to the students' dedication in putting in the hard work that paid such huge dividends as a finished product. 

Simultaneously, many of our music students were involved in preparation for All-State festivals and Opus Honor Choirs. As the pinnacle achievement in a high school music students career, none is more prominent than selection to All-State. Of the thousands of students who audition statewide each year, the choir is reserved for only the top 600 musicians in the state. Indeed the competition is fierce, requiring hundreds of hours of preparation for an audition that lasts mere minutes. Those years when we have a single student selected fill us with great pride. This year however, we had a staggering 6 students selected! That has to be a record for our district! Not to be outdone, our elementary music students also had the opportunity to audition for the Opus Honor Choir. Equally as challenging, these choirs are the equivalent of the high school All-State choir. Three elementary students were selected for this prestigious honor! There is no doubt the future is bright and we are teeming with talent!

Let's not forget about the success of our instrumental music students. Impressive in their own right, these musicians have had quite the semester! With 7 students being selected to the Northeast Iowa Bandmasters Honor Band, it is a true testament to the idea that hard work and perseverance pays dividends. If you had the opportunity to see these students shine during marching band season you know what I mean! Indeed, their half-time shows during football season were fantastic!

It is an honor to showcase our music department and see our students shine. To see these students perform is inspiring. Our district is committed to providing this, as one of our many platforms for our young people to fully embrace their experience here at Hudson. So, again I encourage you to take advantage of seeing these young people perform either tomorrow night or next week. You'll be glad you did and our students will be excited to have you in the audience. Who knows? You might just hear some of that seasonal music that is popular this time of year!

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