School Board Lauds WHS Band for Wave of Accomplishments

A band that has performed in prestigious venues in Boston, New York and Chicago was given their due Tuesday during a meeting of the Windham School Board.

A total of 15 successful Windham High School students joined Band Director Jared Cassedy to be honored by the board for their work and recent accomplishments.

"It's been an incredible year working with these fine musicians and students here at Windham High School, " said Cassedy. "This year we were afforded a myriad of opportunities to showcase the talent that we have here at Windham High School and in the town of Widham."

Cassedy outlined the band's recent trip to the WorldStrides Heritage Performance Festival of Gold, which is held at the prestigious Orchestra Hall at the Chicago Symphony Center.

There the group finished as the top scoring concert band.

"We were just happy to be there, but we outperformed all of the other ensembles which participated," he said.

He said that the Windham band received rave reviews from adjudicators and other band directors from around the country.

Two weeks later, the WHS band was selected from 152 applicants to perform at the National Association for Music Education (NafME) All Eastern Division Conference, held in Hartford, CT.

Cassedy said the honor was possibly more prestigious than Chicago, given that they were selected from such a large pool by music educators.

The band has also played in Boston as well as in Carnegie Hall in New York.

The 15 students at the meeting, who were just a sampling of the dozens of band members at WHS, ranged in talents from flute to percussion, and many are going on to prestigious universities in the fall.

"I don't think a lot of us would be the same people that we are today if we hadn't known you," said Christine Carpenter, student representative to the School Board and top piccolo player in New Hampshire.

Board members also lauded the band's extensive resume.

"It really was just unbelievable to watch them all come together, put their game face on and perform so well," said Chairman Mike Joanis, who traveled with the band to Chicago.

Board member Jerome Rekart said he is equally impressed when he sits down and listens to the students perform.

"If I close my eyes, I'm not in a high school," he said.

Vice Chairman Stephanie Wimmer said that at the recent Jazz Brunch and Art Show Auction last weekend, her son ran up to her and asked if he could play in a band like the WHS band when he grows up.

Interim Superintendent Dr. Henry LaBranche praised Cassedy for his leadership, which he said is responsible for the success of the men and women in the WHS band.

He added that he had the opportunity to watch Cassedy grow as a student when he was a teacher.

"Bravo for a job extremely well done, said LaBranche.

The WHS band has a short list of performances before many of the students graduate, including a short set on Monday for the town's Memorial Day ceremony and in June for graduation.