By SYDNEY HERDLE
Staff writer
Despite heavy rain and muddy conditions Thursday night, members of the Junior Silver Cornet Band performed selections during the Franklin Silver Cornet Band’s “Mostly Marches” concert on Thursday night in Bandstand Park.
Dan Cartwright, the director and one of the organizers of the Junior Silver Cornet band, said he was impressed by this year’s group and the fact that they performed after only six rehearsals.
“I thought the concert was great despite the weather,” Cartwright said. “Given the distractions, the kids performed very well – beyond well.”
About 50 musicians from Franklin, Oil City, Valley Grove, Cranberry, Lakeview, Clarion-Limestone, Cochranton and St. Patrick schools participated in the program, which was in its 11th year and is an offshoot of the Silver Cornet Band.
“I think it’s a great experience for those starting and wanting to get into a more developed band,” Cameron Weller, 13, of Oil City, said. “School band is more laid-back, but here there’s actual deadlines and more interesting pieces.”
Samuel Smith, a second-year member of the junior band from Oil City, said he feels more experienced than his fellow school band members because of the extra practice and different environment the Junior Silver Cornet Band provides.
Cartwright said the rehearsals for the junior band are different from and more relaxed than traditional rehearsals since he hands out prizes and gets to conduct in shorts and a T-shirt, which he said “doesn’t happen very often.”
Although this was her only year playing in the junior band and the last year she was eligible, Bethany Jessee, a flute player from Lakeview School District, said she had fun and thought the concert went well.
“I thought the whole experience was a good opportunity for younger kids to get more into music,” Jessee, 14, of Sandy Lake, said. “(The junior band) is another great community thing to do.
