Hopatcong Middle School Music Students Spread Holiday Cheer

If you love music, it's always good news to know that the tradition is being kept alive in young people, but it's especially true during the holiday seasons. And there was plenty of good to be heard in Hopatcong Borough Schools, where students heard sounds of the season as performed by eighth grade general music students from Hopatcong Middle School.

On Friday morning, students at the Durban Avenue School enjoyed their own performance. Later in the day, the young musicians performed in front of their middle school peers.

Superintendent of Schools Cynthia Randina pointed out that these concerts demonstrate the kids' accomplishment. She said students in the eighth grade “Introduction to Guitar” general music class picked up a guitar for the first time a mere three months ago.

"They have been working daily, learning how to read music and apply it to playing the guitar," she said, adding that they got to spread "holiday cheer while sharpening their performance skills."

The general music classes at HMS are recent additions to the school's curriculum by music teacher Shawna Longo, Randina said.