Best and Brightest Prepare for District Music Festival

The yearly showcase of elite performers from the South Brunswick School District's music program is rapidly approaching, as musicians throughout the township prepare for the annual District Music Festival.

Each year the festival features a different section of South Brunswick's music program, with the chorus taking center stage last year. The festival offers a chance for the younger kids in South Brunswick's music program to get a glimpse of the future and to see the work it takes to succeed from the older high-achieving musicians.

"This gives the audience a chance to see the progression of music students from elementary school to high school," said Greenbrook Elementary School music teacher Teresa Chesnovitz. "Plus the younger kids get an opportunity to meet the students they will be playing with when they get to middle school next year."

Last week, selected fifth-graders converged on Brooks Crossing Elementary School for one of two practice sessions with the other students they'll be playing with for the first time.

"It's almost a professional environment where they're playing with people they've never seen before for two rehearsals and then they're playing in a concert together," Chesnovitz said. 

For young students performing in the festival, the process offers them a chance to branch out of their comfort zone as they gather with the best musicians from each school in the district.

"This is a great opportunity to meet new people and see how they play," said fifth-grader Jordan Jones, who plays the trombone. "It also gives us a chance to improve, because we can always get better. That's why we keep going and never stop until we achieve our goal."

For Jordan and numerous other kids in the show, the music program is more than a hobby, but is a passion that the festival helps to develop by giving them a spotlight for their talents at a very early age.

"Band music is a part of my life and helps keep me going everyday," Jordan said. "I love how the different instruments vary in sound and I'm really interested in all the history of music."

The festival, which will take place in the South Brunswick High School auditorium, begins at 7 p.m. on April 3. The festival features fifth grade instrumentalists from each elementary school, select Crossroads North and Crossroads South students, and the SBHS instrumental department. The evening culminates with all of the selected musicians performing one ultimate piece together as a group. 

"When they all play together you can see where the students came from in elementary school and where they're going in high school," Chesnovitz said. "Playing together helps them develop their talents and provides a big self-esteem boost. It's also good for the kids to see the older students perform because they become like role models for them."