Riverwood Band Students Perform at Carnegie Hall

From Riverwood ICS: The Riverwood International Charter School Wind Ensemble graced the stage at Carnegie Hall on Sunday evening, March 5, 2017. The 50 students, led by the RICS Director of Bands Carlos Rodriguez, performed at The National Band and Orchestra Festival on the famed Ronald O. Perelman Stage in the Isaac Stern Auditorium. Guest conductor Darby Stanton led the students in their first piece, Allied Honor, a march composed by Karl King. Rodriguez conducted Kaddish by Francis McBeth, which is based on the chant found in the Jewish prayer service. The Wind Ensemble’s finale was Arabesque by Samuel Hazo, which is a stunning piece that includes delicate soloistic writing and full-blown ensemble passages with rapid-fire tutti rhythms and frenzied percussion.

Band Director Rodriguez commented, “It was tremendous honor for the Riverwood Band to be invited to perform at Carnegie Hall. This has been a goal that the program has been working toward for the past four years. I am proud of the hard work from all of the current band students and alumni who have spent countless hours rehearsing and preparing for this opportunity. We are very lucky to have support from the Sandy Springs Society, the Riverwood community, and the wonderful band parents who give their time and money to see these musicians succeed.” Rodriguez, completing his fourth year at RICS, holds a Bachelor of Music Education with a Concentration in Instrumental Music degree from Georgia College and State University.

Special mention goes to Seniors Yoel Alperin (horn) and Hill Belfi (clarinet) who have played under the direction of Rodriguez since he arrived at Riverwood four years ago. These students witnessed the growth and development of the band program during their high school years. The trip to perform in Carnegie Hall was a pinnacle experience for these outstanding student musicians.

Guest conductor Darby Stanton is the Band Director at Ridgeview Charter Middle School. Stanton, who performed in Carnegie Hall as a senior in high school said, “It is one of my most favorite musical memories. It was so gratifying to be able to give the same experience to these students. Being able to see the students’ faces after the performance was worth all of the hours of rehearsal and hard work.” Stanton has been at the middle school for three years and holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Auburn University.

Opened in 1891, Carnegie Hall has been the place where distinctive artists of all stripes have come to make their names in New York City. This tradition of excellence makes Carnegie Hall an essential part New York's cultural fabric and the world’s most famous concert hall.

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Photos courtesy of Riverwood ICS