Cosgrove Middle School students in Spencerport performed Saturday Night Stomp, a piece of music composed just for them, at a concert on April 25. Composer Larry Neeck wrote the piece for the Cosgrove Jazz Ensemble as part of the Commission Project. Neeck, a nationally recognized composer and a music teacher in Webster, began working with the students in January, writing the music with their feedback. "When you write for students," says Neeck, "you know whether they like it or not. They're brutally honest. But they're also willing to work with you," he adds. The students also inspire Neeck. "The process is as important as the finished work," he says. "It's a really cool thing." The Commission Project is a nationally recognized organization that fosters the development of residency programs and commissions. "It is an honor that the Spencerport School District has been chosen to host this residency at no cost to the district," says Cosgrove's Dr. Marcia Bornhurst Parkes. |
