Vance Granville-Community College will host its second annual Youth Honor Band concert on Friday, Feb. 2 at the college’s Main Campus Civic Center in Henderson.
Last year’s inaugural event was for musicians from local high schools, but it was so successful that this year’s concert will include musicians from several local middle schools as well, said VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel.
The participants, representing schools in Vance, Granville and Franklin counties, were nominated by their respective band directors for their musical talent and passion. They will gather for the first time to rehearse Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. They’ll come together for the concert at 6:30 p.m.
The performance is free and open to the public; family, friends, and community members are encouraged to come support these talented students and the schools they represent, Cissel stated.
This event was planned by a committee comprised of faculty and staff from VGCC, area band directors, area school administrators, local business owners and other community members. Brian D. Miller, VGCC music instructor and Community Band director, will lead the high school band; Sherri M. Damon, music instructor at Oxford’s Credle Elementary School, will lead the middle school band.
The student musicians will learn new songs especially for this event. Music selections had not yet been finalized at the time of publication, but event organizers offered a preview of what songs attendees might hear: “The Tempest” (Robert W. Smith), “Bach: Two Joyous Chorales” (arr. Anne McGinty), “Military Escort march” (Harold Bennett), “American Youth Overture” (Floyd St. Clair), and “Air for Band” (Frank Erickson).
To learn more about the VGCC Honor Band or Fine Arts at Vance-Granville Community Colleg, contact Betsy Henderson, department chair of Fine Arts & Humanities, at hendersonb@vgcc.edu or 252.738.3371.