Sweet Music, Sweet Food in Jefferson on Thursday (50 Photos!)

The music and the desserts were sweet on Thursday night at Jefferson Township High School, as a wide variety of band members performed at the fourth annual Sweet Taste of Jefferson.

Area restaurants donates their desserts as guests listened to different ensembles perform pieces from varied genres. The evening was highlighted by the Haileybury Ensemble, visiting from Melbourne, Australia.

Band director Richard Barrieres introduced each act and said a few words about the performers.

The opening act of the evening was the junior woodwinds performing “Carnival,” arranged by David Reed. They were followed by Eric Osterling’s arrangement of “Clarinet Polka” by the clarinet choir.

The saxophone ensemble performed “Jump, Jive an’ Wail” arranged by Johnnie Vinson, followed by the junior brass on “As Camels Dance,” arranged by Jim Engebretson.

Seniors Kathleen Flynn and Angela Dench performed a clarinet and flute duet of Bach’s Bourree, followed by Chris Crecco’s piano solo of “Apres une lecture du Dante, fantasia quasi sonata.”

A special ensemble played Michael Azar’s arrangement of “Riding the Forth Wave,” after which a brass ensemble took on “Celebration in Brass,” and a flute choir performed “Fairest Lord Jesus,” arranged by Bill Holcomb.

Students Nicole Marino and Vivianna Samite performed a mallet solo of “Yellow After the Rain” by Michael Peters. The advanced brass ensemble handled “The Battle of Jericho” by Dana Everson.

Senior Alfonse Gonnella performed a drum solo of a piece he had written. After the percussion ensemble performed “Ceremonium” by Jared Spears, senior Michael Russo conducted the large ensemble in “Symphonic Ternary,” a piece he composed.

The parade ensemble performed “Promenade,” written by Modest Mussorgsky and arranged by Barrieres. The jazz ensemble performed Larry Barton’s “Aftershock” and Bill Reddie’s “Channel One Suite,” arranged by Mike Lewis.

The evening was capped off by the Haileybury Ensemble’s rendition of a medley of Crowded House tunes, as well as “Playing to Win” by the Little River Band.