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The best musicians from throughout District 60 and Pueblo County pooled their talents Thursday for this annual extravaganza of instrumental music, presented at East High School.
Four groups – All City Middle School Orchestra, All City High School Orchestra, All City Middle School Band and All City High School Band – offered a well received selection of numbers after only one day of rehearsal.
The music ranged from classic (Mozart) to contemporary (Queen, Tyler S. Grant), delivered by a total of 180 musicians playing violin, viola, cello, bass, percussion, flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, trumpet, trombone, baritone, tuba, oboe, horn and euphonium.
The schools represented included Centennial, Central, South, East, West, Rye and County; Corwin, Heaton, Pueblo Academy of Arts, Roncalli, Connect, Connections Academy, Liberty Point, Vineland, PSAS, Pleasant View, and McClelland.
The All City Middle School Orchestra was directed by Centennial graduate Loni (Elley) Obluda, now in her 14th year of instrumental music instruction at Lesher Middle School in the Poudre School District.
Dr. Brandon Matthews, Director of Orchestras and Associate Professor of Music at Metropolitan State University, guest directed the high school orchestra, with longtime middle and high school music instructor and composer Kirk Vogel overseeing the middle school band, and Pine Creek Music Teacher Kate Margrave in charge of the high school band.
Cindy Smith, the District’s Fine Art Specialist, served as hostess for the evening. Specialist Smith paid tribute to the parents and guardians, and school music instructors, for the dedication and support that enables events such as the annual concert to take place.
Specialist Smith also honored the late Tyler West, South’s beloved instrumental music instructor who unexpectedly passed away in December. In Tyler’s memory, family and friends have set up the Tyler West Fund, through the D60 Education Foundation, to support D60’s high school instrumental programs.
To donate, click here: https://bit.ly/3kqN09X
