BY TINA HENNESSEY

SC STAFF WRITER

On Sunday, November 10, East Stroudsburg University’s Music Department held Band-O-Rama at Stroudsburg High School.

The concert featured “A Salute to Veterans” through performances by the University/Community Concert Band, University Jazz Ensemble, ESU Chamber Winds, the Warrior Marching Band and Color Guard, and the ESU cheerleaders.

Band-O-Rama kicked off with the Warrior Marching Band as they entered the auditorium through the side doors and marched onto the stage to the percussion’s cadence.

The marching band, led by Drum Major and University Bands President Joe Jefferson, played the ESU Fight Song followed by two music selections from their 2013 field show based off the movie How to Train Your Dragon.

In addition, the Warrior Marching Band performed Lady Gaga’s, “Bad Romance,” which featured the ESU Cheer Squad led by Coach Laura Defalko.

The next group to perform was the ESU Chamber Winds.  This group was made up of flutes, clarinets, bass clarinets, saxophones, horns, trumpets, and tubas.

They performed two different pieces: “On a Hymnsong of Philip Bliss” by David Holsinger and a “Salute to America’s Finest” by Paul Lavender.

Following the ESU Chamber Winds was a performance by the University Jazz Ensemble.  They played a piece arranged by Sammy Nestico called “Big Band Milestones.”  This piece is an arrangement of Big Band favorites, which include “A String of Pearls,” “Lil’ Darlin’,” and “Opus One.”

The last ensemble to take the stage was the University/Community Concert Band, which is the largest band ensemble.  They played “Eternal Father, Strong to Save” by Claude T. Smith, which is known as the “Navy Hymn.”

The Band-O-Rama finale had the stage packed with musicians, featuring all the ensembles together, playing Carmen Dragon’s “America the Beautiful.” The ESU band ensembles that performed were made up of both students and community members under the director Dr. Otis French.

Email Tina at:

thennessey@live.esu.edu