Briarcliff Hosts 12th Annual Rivertowns Music Festival

A select group of middle school band and orchestra students from Briarcliff, Croton, Ossining and, Sleepy Hollow gathered with their music directors and instruments for the 12th annual two-day Rivertowns Music Festival on February 1st and 2nd. The Festival culminated with a free concert at the Briarcliff High School Auditorium at 2 p.m. on Saturday, February 2nd.

This exclusive yearly occasion for exceptional student middle school musicians provides them the opportunity to learn and perform traditional music at a higher level for enrichment. It also exposes students to peers from neighboring districts as well as the experience of practicing and performing outside the familiar location of their school's music rooms and concert spaces. Students gather for an intensive full rehearsal on Friday afternoon before the concert. The added benefit of this rehearsal is spending time meeting and connecting with students from other districts both on-stage and during breaks.

This year, the Honor Orchestra performed Francis Feese's “Contracts in E Minor,” Leo Delibes’ (as arranged by F. Halferty) “Flower Duet from ‘Lakme’,” and the 1990s Nirvana favorite “Smells like Teen Spirit” by Larry Moore. As a special treat this year’s orchestra included an electric base and drum set. The Honor Band performed Texidor’s “Amparito Roca,” “Pavane, Op. 50 by Gabriel Faure (arranged by Larry Clark, and “The Best of Chicago” arranged by Paul Murtha.