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Local High School Teachers Offer New Summer Band Program

Upper Valley Music Center and Lebanon Opera House provide support to help kids make music all summer.

Upper Valley high school teachers have launched a new Summer Band Program for junior high and high school band students who want to keep making music.

“One of the more challenging parts of the year is the first couple of weeks every fall when everyone comes back to school and many students haven’t touched their instrument since the spring,” said Dominick DeFrancisco, band director and music teacher at Lebanon High School. “I wanted to find a way to encourage my students to continue to play music over the summer with other students their age.”

DeFrancisco created the Summer Band program with Ian Gollub, band director and performing arts department coordinator at Hanover High School, and Danielle Conerty, band director and instrumental music teacher at Hartford High School, who are co-directors of the band.

Currently 37 students – entering grade 8 through seniors in high school – from across the Upper Valley are participating in Summer Band. The program includes Concert Band (led by DeFrancisco) and Jazz Band (led by Gollub). Participants rehearse weekly throughout the summer, then perform at the annual Nexus Festival in downtown Lebanon on Saturday, August 10.

“Students from around the region will be able to meet other local student musicians, have something to keep them playing throughout the summer, and put on a fun performance toward the end of the summer,” DeFrancisco said.

The Upper Valley Music Center provides the program’s administrative support and the Lebanon Opera House offered a performance slot during the Nexus Festival. The plan is to expand the program next year.

“There’s plenty of room for this program to grow over the next few years. It would be great to add other ensembles like a choir or orchestra to the mix,” DeFrancisco said. “I personally hope we can create a rotation of local or semi-local teachers to take turns leading the ensembles. It’s nice to put new faces in front of students so they can experience other styles of teaching and conducting.”

“For 30 years, UVMC has provided and promoted the best in music education for students of all ages across the Upper Valley,” said Benjamin Van Vliet, executive director of UVMC. “The Summer Band program is one of the many ways UVMC is expanding its ensemble opportunities and encouraging students to continue to make music with old and new friends.”

DeFrancisco would love to see the Summer Band program become a staple in the lives of student musicians in the Upper Valley.

“This is a great opportunity for students to keep playing and making music over the summer. We want you to show up, make some new friends, play some fun music, and enjoy yourself this summer,” he said “If you can’t make it this year, hopefully next year you’ll be able to participate!”

The Jazz Band will perform on Saturday, August 10 from 12-12:30 pm on the Colburn Stage on the Lebanon Green. The Concert Band performance is scheduled for 12:45-1:15 pm in the same location. All are welcome to attend.