Spring Concerts were held the week before APs, but one concert stood out: Band. Mrs. Gustavsen was a Ward Melville Band Director for over 30 years, and April 27, 2017 marked her last formal concert.
The concert featured a premiere: Spy Ring, by Richard Saucedo, performed by the Wind Ensemble. To honor him, Symphonic Band performed two of his pieces: Forever Holding Close the Memories and Beyond the Clouds and Into the Heavens, and Concert Band performed Song and Dance.
Many congratulations were sent throughout the concert. Graduating band members were given white flowers to mark their departure from the school. Mrs. G first sent out her thank-yous to the Symphonic Band seniors before their final piece. She did the same thing before Wind Ensemble’s premiere of Spy Ring as well. Lastly, Mr. Chapman came out after the Wind Ensemble was finished to give Mrs. G flowers before giving her another speech about his time with her and the great legacy that she will leave behind. The speech was rumored to be written by some of the graduating Wind Ensemble seniors.
The concert in general went very well, with the Saucedo pieces being very nice in both composition and execution. In addition, Jazz II and Jazz III were both excellent, especially with a two-minute-long drum solo in the latter and a great ballad piece in the former.
However, it marks a great way to end 30 years of band with Mrs. G at the heels. She still has a few performances to give out, with NHS inductions, the Memorial Day Parade, and the Pops Concert, but congratulations on a finale Spring Concert well done. Mrs. G, you will most surely be missed by all of us.