BRATTLEBORO — The Brattleboro Union High School Music Department presents a Pops concert on Thursday, May 22, at 7 p.m. in the school auditorium.
This final music department concert of the 2013-14 school year has as its theme “Night at the Movies!” Admission is free and the public - particularly BUHS music alumni and their families - are warmly invited to attend.
Perfoming in the concert are the BUHS Jazz Workshop under the direction of Jamie MacDonald. On the program: Stevie Wonder's “Another Star,” Robert Lamm's “25 or 6 to 4,” Harold Arlen's “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” - from The Wizard of Oz (1939) - and Average White Band's “Pick Up the Pieces,” from many films, including Iron Man 2 (2010).
The Madrigals will present a program that includes a tribute to the Beatles in their 50th anniversary of performing in the United States: “When I'm Sixty-Four” (from 1968's Yellow Submarine and 1982's The World According to Garp) and “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” which inspired a 1978 film of the same name.
Soloists include seniors Aimee Johnston, Corinne Epstein, and Olivia Siegel.
The ensemble also will sing “Danny Boy” (the traditional Irish folk ballad heard in 1990's Memphis Belle) and “Thou Lovely and Beloved” by Robert Young.
The jazz band will perform four selections: Dave Brubeck's “Blue Rondo à la Turk,” Stevie Wonder's “I Wish” (heard in 2006's Happy Feet), Mike Tomaro's “A Song for Her” (featuring junior alto saxophonist Ben Janis), and George and Ira Gershwin's “Love Is Here to Stay” (from 1951's An American in Paris).
The chorus will take the stage to perform selections from O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000). An ensemble of local musicians will accompany the chorus, including Mary Alice Amidon on banjo, Fred Bruenig on fiddle, Mike Auerbach on guitar, and Tyler Gibbons on bass.
Soloists include graduating seniors Ali Brodeur, Sam Spanierman, Gene Buckley, Simon Reynolds, and David Butterfield.
The concert band features three selections beginning with Clare Grundman's “A Bernstein Tribute,” a medley of movie and musical-theatre tunes by Leonard Bernstein. Represented are West Side Story, On the Town, and Candide.
The program also features music from John Williams' soundtrack to Steven Spielberg's Lincoln (2012) as well as Hans Zimmer's score to Pirates of the Carribean: At World's End (2007).
Vocal ensembles are directed by Patty Meyer. The band and jazz band are led by Steve Rice.