By Suzanne Schatzle

The members of the Harrison High School band as well as the members of the Harrison High School Band Parents Association just want to thank the Harrison Report for their continued coverage of the band events throughout the year. Through your publication, you have shared our experiences with the community, and in doing so have shown one of the reasons why Harrison is a great place to live. Thank you. I’d just like to take this opportunity to highlight some aspects of the Harrison High School Band program.

Did you know that the Harrison High School Band includes a Marching Band with Color Guard and Majorettes, concert band, jazz band, and swing band? Several members have auditioned and have been accepted for the All County and Area All State Bands. The Harrison High School Marching Band is one of the biggest high school teams in the county with over 150 members-working together and encouraging each other. Filled with serious musicians and performers who also know how to have fun, many positive experiences result for all involved. These hard working students practice every school day as a group and on their own with their individual musical instruments, flags, and batons for most of the school year. As soon as one exciting event is over, they’re on to prepare for the next one. Aside from several concerts a year, and a nine hour Band-a-thon, the band also marches in Harrison’s parades and field opening ceremonies. Members also give up one week of their summer to practice together. Drum majors additionally attend camps teaching them how to direct and lead their fellow musicians.

The band is lead by Director Dr. Ferdinand Pasqua and Co-Director Charles Briem. These two men work countless hours and are two of the most dedicated, committed professionals any school and community could have-putting together the numerous aspects of the various band events. We are so grateful for their leadership in making

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allows all the students to experience some aspects of working with clay.”

During the project, students were introduced to all phases of ceramic work, including rolling clay and forming pottery on the wheel. The children took pride in learning the careful painting techniques taught by Mendelson, and the fact that they would have something of their own hanging permanently in their school.

“I painted it,” said Carlos, a 2nd grader at Preston Elementary. “And now it’s going to be up there forever.”

Mendelson, who also attended the unveiling, was snapping photos of the pride-filled children and enjoying what he helped to create.

“It all comes together, and that’s the bigger picture for me,” said Mendelson. “The bigger picture is that all of the support it takes to have all the elements come together to make a big statement like this. This is a statement of their pride in this. We all wanted to do something that would architecturally fit in and make sense for the space, so it wouldn’t look like it doesn’t belong. Ceramics have lasting power; it stands the test of time, as this will.”

the Harrison High School Band the award winning musicians that they are. Congratulations on their winning eleven awards, including several first place awards at the Williamsburg,Virginia Music Festival.

Who will forget during this year as well as during past performances the formidable look of the marching band on the field, the elegant dress of the concert bands, the tuxedos, the traveling members in maroon shirts swarming the Cracker Barrel restaurants on extended trips to festivals and Disney World, and the great half time shows wherever the football team played?

This year’s spring concert included performances of the Concert Band playing The Stars and Stripes Forever, Celebration, Band of Brothers, Nessun Dorma, and Dixieland Revue. The Jazz Ensemble performed Prelude to utilizing glow in the dark props against a darkened stage with an all black set built by members of the band.

The annual Jazz night fundraising event included amazing solos from the members of the Jazz Ensemble. Those in attendance were lucky enough to also witness members of the Harrison High School staff who charmed the audience with their singing talents.

The annual end of the year barbeque and awards ceremony was held at the Armonk Tennis Club. The hard work and support of the Harrison High School Band Parents Association under the leadership of Mark Mirra ensured that the event (as well as all of the events during the year) was a big hit for all of the members. Last year the Do-Re-Mi scholarship award was initiated to give a $2000 scholarship to one outstanding senior who is likely to continue in the