Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda UFSD
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KW Jazz Ensemble Visits Holmes for Special Holiday Concert
Instrumentalists at Kenmore West High School led by Band Director Kenneth Belote performed a special holiday concert at Holmes Elementary on Wednesday, Dec. 18, an annual tradition to provide students with a memorable holiday celebration while also teaching them about all the different band instruments they will soon be able to play.
For approximately 20 years, Belote has been bringing his students to elementary schools during the holiday season to spread their love of music and to educate them about all the different band instruments. They attend different elementary schools each year, and this year, it was Holmes’ turn.
The Kenmore West Jazz Ensemble performed a number of holiday favorites. Other groups of instrumentalists from the band program came too to provide demonstrations of what their instruments sound like and to perform additional holiday songs.
Students choose an instrument by fourth grade, and they might very well continue playing that instrument throughout the remainder of their educational careers and beyond. It’s an important decision to make, and this event gives them insight into what each and every band instrument is all about.
For many, it’s their first exposure to all the different instruments – the ones featured in the jazz ensemble as well as others like the flute, piccolo, oboe, clarinet, bass clarinet, French horn, bassoon, euphonium, tuba, and mallet percussion.
Also, since the concerts have taken place in different elementary school buildings, students across the district have been able to see Kenmore West instrumentalists in action.
The Kenmore West Jazz Ensemble followed the Holmes visit with a dazzling holiday concert for students and staff in the Kenmore West Library on Dec. 19.