Article by Billy Prunier
Music and the arts at Frontier Regional have been important parts of our lives as students and the music department is a home- away- from- home to strings and band students. In a recently conducted interview with two year concert band, wind ensemble, and choir director, Mr. Max Sherrill, he discusses the upcoming happenings of the Frontier Music Department.
As for upcoming events, Mr. Sherrill has scheduled upcoming winter concerts for both the high school and middle school ensembles. On November 17th, Frontier band students will partake in the Franklin County Honor Band, a concert that shows the talent of Franklin County music students. On December 6th the middle school will perform at their annual winter concert as well as the high school ensemble doing the same on December 8th. In January, Senior Districts are happening for junior and senior high students. March is a busy month for the Frontier Music Department, the long awaited Telethon is scheduled for March 30 as well as Junior districts scheduled for that month as well. A brand new event never before held at Frontier, under the direction of Mr. Sherrill, will produce a school-wide musical inspired by the hit Broadway production of Guys and Dolls! Stay tuned for more information about casting auditions in the coming months. In the spring, high school and middle school music students will perform at their spring concerts, dates are to be announced soon as well. The final music events for the school year are the Sunderland, Whatley, and South Deerfield Memorial Day parades.
On March 30th at 6:00 pm, the eighth annual Frontier Music Telethon plays in our auditorium in front of a live audience of students, staff and family members. The Telethon will have the same groups coming back, as well as having as many student led groups as possible. In December, the annual Coffee House will be used as a scouting event for the Telethon. As well as student led and teacher performed groups, all band and strings students will be performing. The goal for the Telethon is to break the fundraising amount which was upwards of six thousand dollars.
As Mr. Sherrill is in the midst of his second year teaching at Frontier, his personal goals for the Music Department is to get the high school ensembles perform in competitions. The band is made up of a ton of musical talent in both middle and high school. Mr. Sherrill wants the bands to grow and get more students interested in Frontier’s choir group.
Getting a pep band to play at basketball games is next on the list and to get the band integrated in more school-wide events. Mr. Sherrill is willing to arrange fun music to be performed and when the crowd gets wild, the band gets wild, and that’s what will make the upcoming basketball season one to remember.
As far as fields trips for the ensembles goes, the middle school will partake in the Great East Festival and then students spend the entire day at Six Flags! For high school band students, a trip is in the works, but a destination has yet to be announced.
