"Music for Manhattan" concerts scheduled

The Cosgrove Middle School Concert Band and Jazz Ensemble from Spencerport will be traveling to lower Manhattan in March 2003 to rehearse and perform with music students at Intermediate School 89 (IS 89). The purpose of the trip is to reach out with compassion to those who suffered as result of the World Trade Center attacks. Healing through music may bring some comfort and joy to the students and community of Battery City Park, according to Marcia Bornhurst Parkes, music educator.

Just after September 11, IS 89 (located at Warren and Westside Highway) became the command center for those working on the infrastructure of the surrounding buildings. IS 89 students were relocated to a school on W. 17th Street for nearly five months.

In December, 2001, Cosgrove Band students (from both the 7th and 8th grade bands) sent $1,000 to support the music program at IS 89, thinking that music and instruments might need to be replaced. Parkes, band director at Cosgrove Middle School, was inspired to do more than just send funds. She designed a day of music that would be shared by students of both schools. The project has been named "Music for Manhattan."

The March 13 concert at Stuyvesant High School and corresponding workshops will feature Larry Neeck, composer-in-residence at Cosgrove Middle School. Neeck's residency and music commissions are supported by The Commission Project (TCP) and Ned Corman, TCP Director. Students are writing their own music to share during the workshops.

The concert will feature several of Neeck's compositions. These include: "Song of Peace" for concert band and "A.M. Attitude," "Mr. Nice Guy," "Hot Java Jump" and "Saturday Night Stomp" (a TCP commission) for jazz ensemble. The highlight of the concert will be a premiere of his new piece "Triumphant Spirit" for concert band that was written for this occasion.

Also featured on this program will be "Where the Black Hawk Soars" (Robert W. Smith), "Infinite Horizons" (Robert Sheldon), "Strike Up the Band" (George and Ira Gershwin, arr. Brubaker), "Lest We Forget" (James Swearingen), "Torch of Liberty" (Karl L. King) and "What A Wonderful World" (Weiss and Thiele, arr. Saucedo).

Since September, Cosgrove students and parents have raised funds through events such as car washes, candy and donut sales, two can and bottle drives and a pop concert to help defray the cost of the trip. The student cost is projected at $425 which includes hotels, bus transportation, several meals, tickets to "Aida" and a ferry trip to Ellis and Liberty Islands. In addition Cosgrove students will attend a New York Philharmonic concert featuring Pinchas Zukerman performing the Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1 with David Zinman conducting. David Zinman was the Music Director of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. Ten chaperones and 11 bus parents will accompany the 68 music students on the trip.

Cosgrove Concert Band and Jazz Ensemble students will perform a preview concert at Cosgrove Middle School, 2749 Spencerport Road in Spencerport on Tuesday, March 4 at 7:30 p.m. Area residents are invited to attend this free concert.