SV Band performs spring concert outdoors
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - The Shenandoah Valley Concert Band performs at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
SHENANDOAH – Since the formation of the music program in Shenandoah public schools in the late 1920’s, to current director John Shoener’s knowledge, no concert has been held outside.
Until today.
The Shenandoah Valley High School Marching Band performed its 93rd Annual Spring Band Concert at Veterans Memorial Stadium Thursday evening.
The music program in the then-Shenandoah Borough School District began in the late 1920’s, and the Spring concerts were held in the auditorium of the J.W. Cooper Memorial High School at White and Lloyd Streets, where they continued to be held after Shenandoah’s and West Mahanoy Township’s school districts merged in 1967 to create the modern Shenandoah Valley School District.
When a new high school was built on West Centre Street in the 1980’s, Spring concerts moved there, where they remained to date.
The coronavirus pandemic, though, prompted the music program to move the concert to the football stadium, to provide more room for the musicians and spectators to spread out and social distance.
Shoener said before the program that, to his knowledge, this is the first and only time the concert had been moved to an outdoor setting.
The 25-member band consisting of students in grades 7-12 performed seven songs of a wide variety, from the John Phillips Sousa march “The Stars and Stripes Forever” to a melody of tunes from Pirates of the Caribbean as well as some Welsh and English songs.
As is typical at the Spring concert, senior members received awards in recognition of their talents, achievements, and dedication to the music progam:
- Dorsey Brothers Memorial: Nazareth Paniagua-Perez
- Blue Devil Band Award: Kaitlyn Carduff
- Woody Herman Award: Jacqueline Bubnis
- Louis Armstrong Award: Megan Bell
- Prof. Edward McDermott Award: Jesse Carl
- John Phillips Sousa Award: Lena Bell
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My Aunt Kate Keogh was a teacher in Shenandoah area her whole career! – from early 1900’s! I have a handwritten letter from her telling about the “2 room “ school where she first taught! Before she retired she taught at Cooper HS and at one period of time, she was the music director in the Shenandoah are(don’t think they had a Band then).
My mom and dad both grew up in Shenandoah. Mom was also a teacher there until her marriage. Almost all of my Aunt’s were teachers there. I loved visiting Shenandoah- born in Pottsville and moved to NC 1935 (related to Great Depression!).
Love the Band music! Keep on being Special ‼️