West Middlesex students to perform in Grove City College concert

David L. Dye, The Herald, Sharon, Pa.
Updated ·3 min read

Mar. 19—WEST MIDDLESEX — The West Middlesex Jr.-Sr. High School's concert band will be performing at a new venue this week — Grove City College.

The high school students will be the guests of the college's symphonic band and wind ensemble, who will perform their annual spring concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Ketler Auditorium Pew Fine Arts Center, 100 Campus Drive, Grove City.

"I think the students were all pretty excited when I first announced this," said John Jerasa, West Middlesex school band director.

The collaborative concert came about after some discussions between Jerasa and Dr. Andrew Erb, who serves as Grove City College's music professor and band director. Erb also is president of the West Middlesex School Board.

In the past, local high school bands would participate in the college's spring concerts every couple years, until that pattern was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Erb said.

The West Middlesex concert band will be the first high school group to visit the college since the pandemic subsided.

"John and I talked about it, and this seemed like something that would be a great opportunity for the students," Erb said. "And being a West Middlesex graduate myself, I was proud that we could have my alma mater come to Grove City College."

The West Middlesex students will perform three pieces, "Festivo," "Cajun Folk Songs" and "Illuminations," then combine with the college students to perform "God of Our Fathers."

The college symphonic band will also perform "Eternal Father, Strong to Save," "Earth Song" and "Third Symphony." The wind ensemble will perform "Clutch," "Snowcaps," and "Gandalf" from "Symphony No. 1," Erb said.

Both groups have been rehearsing separately. On the day of the concert, the high school students will have a workshop with their peers, followed by a tour of the campus and then rehearsal for the concert, Jerasa said.

While the high school students have enjoyed other music trips before, with a trip to The Hermitage museum in Nashville, Tenn. planned for later this school year, Jerasa said this concert at Grove City College can give the students an opportunity to see where their own musical careers can go.

"It allows the students to grow and perform alongside their peers and see what they can do in college, or even beyond that, as with Dr. Erb," Jerasa said. "And it gives them a chance to showcase their talent in front of a new audience."

The Grove City College auditorium can seat about six- or seven-hundred people, Erb said, with attendance at previous concerts ranging from a half-filled auditorium to standing-room only.

"We get students' family members and people from the community, so for a combined show like this, I'm sure we'll have a lot of people come out to see it," he said.

The show will be free to attend. For those unable to attend in person, the concert will also be streamed at gcc.edu/livestream, Erb said.