Front Page News
April 11, 2012
Strafford Wind Symphony "Sharing A Passion For Performance"
Submitted By Stephanie Cottrell, General Manager, Publicity, Flutist
As March marches out like a lamb, National Nutrition Month, Women’s
History Month and, of course, Music In Our Schools Month (MIOSM)
celebrations come to an end all across the country. The Strafford
Wind Symphony had a busy and exciting March.
Part of how the SWS shares its passion for performance and
encourages music education is to perform for children at schools
around the region. Its mission echoes that of the National
Association for Music Education, to advance music education by
encouraging the study and making of music by all.
This year, students at the Lebanon Elementary School in ME, Epsom
Central School, and William Allen Elementary in Rochester cheered
with delight and tapped their toes as they listened to the building
tension of a bullfight, a steady beat of traditional marches and the
hypnotic rhythms of a modern ballet. One lucky child from each
school went home with a special memory from the day, conducting the
finale piece, Stars and Stripes.
The students of William Allen Elementary and the SWS made history
during their visit! Assistant Conductor, Bruce Gatchell taught and
lead the entire student and staff population on their first ever
sing-along of their new school song! Assistant Principal, Kat
Crosby, wrote the lyrics and Mr. Gatchell arranged the music to the
tune of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame".
Many SWS members call these performances the highlight of their
year. The pure joy and excitement that pours from the children
really reminds them of how music is such a powerful and universal
form of expression. "The hope for the SWS is that these kids will
want to create the same excitement in their own lives through the
use of music." expresses Stephanie Cottrell, the general manager of
the wind symphony.
With April under way, so are other musical opportunities. On April
14th, members of the Strafford Wind Symphony will be joining other
musicians in a support effort for Arts In Reach’s (A.I.R.)
Phenomenal Woman Event. This teen poetry and visual arts celebration
will be held at the Loft Theater at the Music Hall in Portsmouth.
The SWS then performs its season closer concert, "Rhythmic Notions",
at the Rochester Opera House on May 4th at 7 pm, but this is far
from their last appearance of the year.
SWS members have their eyes to the sky at the end of June in search
of Angels, Blue Angels, that is. Stop by their hot dog concession
booth during the Service Credit Union Boston-Portsmouth Air Show,
June 30th and July 1st to show your support!
Check out
http://straffordwindsymphony.org/schedule to learn more about
our coming concerts and events. The Strafford Wind Symphony can also
be found on Facebook!
You can contact us by email at
[email protected]; by phone at (603) 749-9246 or (603)
608-7100 (cell); or through the postal service at Strafford Wind
Symphony, PO Box 7041, Gonic, NH 03839.
Upcoming shows
• May 4, 2012, 7pm, Rochester Opera House, Rochester, NH
• June 16, 2012, 7pm, Hampton Beach Seashell, Hampton Beach, NH
• July 2, 2012, 6:43pm, Sanford Parks and Rec, Goodall Park,
Sanford, ME
• July 7, 2012, 6pm, Harbor Park Gazebo, Wells, ME
• July 28, 2012, 7pm, Alton Bay Christian Conference Center, Alton
Bay, NH
• August 5, 2012, 2pm, Stark Park Bandstand Manchester, NH
• November 30, 2012, 7pm, Cooperative Middle School, Stratham, NH
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