The Sounds Of The Season By Manhattan Beach Mira Costa High Band

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — The spirit of the season is in full evidence again in Manhattan Beach as the Mira Costa High School music students deliver a free virtual Mira Costa Bands Concert on Wednesday, Dec. 23 at 7 p.m.. So how do a lot of music students, who haven't been able to gather to practice and play together during the coronavirus pandemic, manage to stage a holiday concert?

Well, where there's a will, there's a way and students, music coaches and Band Director Joel Carlson have been hard at work to put together a concert recording community members can watch and enjoy form the safety and comfort of their owns homes, according to Mara McPhee, Mira Costa Bands booster member.

The 2020 Winter Concert proves once again how technology, desire, persistence and a love of music triumph over what has been mostly a calendar year of distance learning for students in the Manhattan Beach Unified School District.

Said McPhee, "Mr. Carlson and his staff delivered meaningful music education online, while concurrently planning for the shift to hybrid learning formats consistent with the [school] district’s 'Phase In' plan and guidance from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. In addition to engaging in the same in-depth, nuanced music instruction our program is known for, students explored audio recording and production, and developed new skills in the area of remote performance. Students were afforded greater opportunity to connect with their own creativity, and experienced music making in small ensembles as well as contributing to traditional large-ensemble performances using cutting-edge digital recording and audio production techniques.

"Regarding Marching Band and Colorguard, the season was reimagined both in terms of content and schedule. Using 'blue screen' filming techniques and cutting-edge audio recording and production, students participated in advanced virtual performance, culminating in an immersive digital show. These same techniques were used to create the pieces recorded by the different bands for the winter concert. Here is a preview of the marching band and colorguard performance for the WBA Virtual Festival in November," noted McPhee.

This year's Winter Concert will air on the MCHS bands' YouTube Channel - Mira Costa High School Bands – tomorrow night [Wednesday, Dec. 23] at 7 p.m. More information about the concert can be found on the MCHS Bands website: Mira Costa Bands Winter Concert.

The Winter Concert will feature pieces performed by the Symphonic Band, the Wind Ensemble, the Wind Symphony, Small Ensembles, Jazz I, Marching Band & Colorguard and Combined Bands.

Note: Small student ensemble performances will be posted during intermission. The chat feature will be enabled, and the viewing audience is encouraged to leave virtual applause and words of support for the students throughout the concert.