The final days of school before winter break began last week saw not one, but two Christmas Concerts presented by the Riverbank Unified School District and both were on the same day.
Following the high school performance at 6 p.m. in the Bruin gym on the RHS campus, Cardozo Middle School presented their own “ ‘Tis the Season” music festival in their auditorium at 7 p.m., both on Tuesday, Dec. 13. The schedule made it a bit difficult for families that have students in both programs. Even District Superintendent Dr. Darryl Camp and Assistant Superintendent Christine Facella were pressed to attend both concerts.
The Cardozo evening started with performances by the First Flight (Beginning) Band, under the direction of David Howard.
First up was Tone Builder, then Variations on a Familiar Theme, followed by Banana Boat Song, from the ‘Essential Elements Lesson Book.’ Then the band played Cousin Louie, Fog on the River, and Rock Point Five to round out their part of the program.
Howard then introduced a duo made up of a trumpet and a baritone player from First Flight, but they were playing non-band instruments and singing. Mekaylia Camacho and Kylee Rhodehouse sang Frosty the Snowman, accompanying themselves on ukuleles.
Performing next was the Cardozo Eagle (Advanced) Band, also under the baton of Howard.
They started off with Intermediate School Fanfare, followed by Jazzberry Jam, which featured a clarinet solo by Alexandria Woodall. The Sound and the Fury was next, followed by On Wisconsin, a familiar school fight song that closed out the Eagle Band part of the evening.
All musicians then joined for a combined band performance of We Wish You a Merry Christmas and closed out the concert with a performance of Christmas Parade, which the marching band performed at the Riverbank Community Christmas Parade a few weeks earlier.
The First Flight Band is made up of clarinet, alto and tenor saxophone woodwind sections and trumpet, baritone, trombone and tuba brass instruments, along with five percussionists.
The Eagle Band consists of flutes, clarinets, alto saxes and a bassoon in the woodwinds, with trumpets, a baritone, and a tuba in the brass sections, and seven percussionists.
