Kids Coach Parents For Band Concert

St. John Vianney School’s spring concert at 6:30 p.m. Friday will be anything but run-of-the-mill. This year the kids have written the whole program and coached their parents picking up instruments to play.

A parent band and parent orchestra will make their debut that night, after weeks of lessons from their kids.

“Children in the beginning band and orchestra have been teaching their parents, aunties, uncles, family friends, teachers and school friends to play an instrument,” explained school board member Earl Walker. “And after this monthlong project, each group will perform a unique piece they have learned.”

Students in grades 3-7 wrote the concert script, and the percussion ensemble (Thomas McCoy, Micah Griffin, Aidan Jones and Cole Jamilla) will premier an original composition. Griffin and McCoy also will play the exciting Canto as the concert finale.

Dana Arbaugh directs the free public concert, also featuring the SJV beginning band and orchestra, and its concert band and orchestra. Numbers range from international songs to familiar folk tunes. For details, call 261-4651.

Students also qualified for the Oahu Band Directors Association Beginning and Middle School Honor Bands.