The music that they delivered served as notice on how well the orchestra students have grown at the Eisenhower Intermediate School.
On Wednesday, May 28, the 5th and 6th Grade Orchestra groups performed during the day at an assembly for their schoolmates and staff and then repeated with another sparkling show that evening for friends and family, when the Eisenhower Spring Orchestra Concert was presented in the school’s spacious gymnasium.
Carrie Jendza directed the 6th Grade Orchestra while Lisa Gaudet led the 5th Grade Orchestra.
“The Eisenhower 6th grade Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra performed a variety of selections at the spring orchestra concert. I am incredibly proud of how much the students have progressed this year,” Ms. Jendza said. “They were given a challenging number of selections to prepare and performed them successfully. "I will miss these students immensely and look forward to seeing how they continue to grow as musicians in middle school. Students, remember to strive for progress over perfection, and practice makes permanent! Thank you for an exciting year!"
Ms. Gaudet was impressed with how her 5th Grade Orchestra students have grown since the start of he school year.
"I'm very proud of the Grade 5 Orchestra. Most students begin the year without any knowledge of the instrument, including how to open the case and take it out correctly. These students now have a basic command of all four strings on their instrument and are able to play them both pizzicato and arco.," Ms. Gaudet said.
She added:
"They've come a long way, and I'm very proud of them."
Matt McCarthy, the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District Supervisor for Arts Education, was impressed by the improvement shown by the orchestra students.
“The young musicians deserve high praise for their remarkable growth this year. Learning to play an instrument is no small feat. In addition to developing coordination and finger precision, students must also learn to read a new language: musical notation. Most importantly, they learn how to collaborate as a team to create beautiful music,” Mr. McCarthy stated.
He added:
“Our string instructors, Ms. Gaudet and Ms. Jendza, have done a fantastic job guiding their students into the joyful world of music-making. I am excited to see how these young musicians continue to progress next year.”