With nearly 1,000 people under one roof, ORR’s FORM Instrumental Concert ‘rocked’ the house. Middle-school students from Rochester, Marion and Mattapoisett along with junior and senior high school students from ORR showed their audience just why music in public schools is important. Their performances were greeted with standing ovations not because the audience was populated by family and friends but more so because of the students magnificent execution. This was no school concert, it was a musical experience preformed by school children.
FORM, Friends of Old Rochester Music, is an organization whose goal is to raise funds in support of music education in the tri-town area, primarily in the junior and senior high schools. The group provides supporting funds for the purchase of instruments, regional musical competitions, and the associated transportation fees. And then there are the scholarships. FORM works diligently to be able to give graduating seniors cash scholarships to help further their musical educational. They have published that the group raised $16,186 for activities and scholarships since 2012. In 2013 they awarded $3500 in scholarships. And the work goes on. Their 2014 scholarship fund stands at approximately $9100.
The instrumental concert on March 6 featured: Sippican School Band, lead by Mrs. Hannah Moore; Rochester Memorial School Band, lead by Mrs. Chris Williamson; Old Hammondtown Concert Band, lead by Ms. Emily Lafluer; ORR Junior High, lead by Mr. James Farmer; and ORR High School Band, lead by Mr. Michael Barnicle.
The finale was performed by a stunning 541 tri-town students whose rendition of ‘Kokomo’ and ‘Grand Old Flag’ brought the crowd to their feet.
The vocal FORM concert is scheduled for March 13, 2014 at ORR High School.
By Marilou Newell
