SPRING CONCERT
2021

"All it takes is one song to bring back one thousand memories."

- Unknown

It was around the second week of March 2020 when the Saucedo Concert Band was preparing their three selections for the upcoming CPS Elementary Band Contest that weekend followed by the IGSMA Organization Contest the week after that.  Band parents and I were planning for hosting our second IGSMA competition at Saucedo...it was busy as usual.

Then, news of a pandemic arose and public events and shows across the world were being cancelled; including both band competitions that the students worked hard for.  All this just before the Governor of Illinois closed all schools in Illinois for a two-week period.  Many people, including myself, thought things would be back to normal in a few weeks and we would get back to making music, possibly even rescheduling band contests...how wrong I was.

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When the governor announced that all schools would be "virtual" for the remainder of the school year...I was at a loss.  That announcement officially ended the band season prematurely for the 2019-2020 school year.  I was upset for various reasons, mainly for the Band Class of 2020, but that soon subsided to fear.  

Thoughts crept into my mind of the uncertainty of my profession's future.  I wondered if band, choir and orchestra would still be relevant in a technology-driven world in the next three to five years now that we couldn't do what we do...building a community of music face-to-face.  Band directors are traditionalists...its what we do, its who we are, and despite all the technological advances, the simple fact remains that you can't have a virtual band rehearsal; that technology still doesn't exist. 

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I still wanted the Band Class of 2021 to have a performance opportunity, but I didn't have a solid vision for this.  My initial project was to have them all participate and compete at a virtual solo contest; there were rumors of one in the making, but none was ever announced.  It then transformed into a virtual 8th grade recital and it would eventually become the 2021 Spring Concert.  It wasn't my typical spring concert flair, but it would have do to under the circumstances.

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This past February, schools were slowly reopening for in-person learning, but band program couldn't commence right away due to CPS regulations (and cold weather).  I had already given up on the idea of having any kind of live band ensemble this year, but as more band students came back in-person, the question kept popping up..."are we doing band?" 

Luckily, with some guidance information from Principal Hiltz, an opportunity presented itself in late April to have band outdoors.  Four rehearsals wasn't much, but it was better than nothing.  Unfortunately that was exactly what I had when I found out how many band students could actually attend rehearsals due to travel issues: 13, definitely not enough to have a well-balanced group.

I thought back to the Class of 2020 and how they never performed for their own spring concert.  I sent them invitations (along with members of the Class of 2019) to join us for rehearsals with the hope of getting just enough of them to have the basic parts covered. Well, it worked out a little too well.

Class of 2019 members spread the news to Class of 2018 members who then spread the news to other alumni going all the way back to the Class of 2013.  At the first rehearsal, the alumni outnumbered the current band students...which had me reminiscing about all the previous band students I've had over the course of my 19 years at Saucedo (and for some reason, alumni still ask me if I miss them.) 

I never thought I would miss hearing a concert B-flat pitch after not conducting any ensembles in 1½ years.  After that first rehearsal on May 13, I told them we would be recording within 4 rehearsals for the Virtual 2021 Spring Concert.  It was a bold move.  I could think of only one other time were the band had to performed with such little notice, but in that situation, at least the students were in "performance shape."  I knew most of the students in front of me hadn't touched their instrument in a while (some since they've graduated), but I believed I could make something happen from this. 

It was shortly thereafter that the idea formed of getting some of my older alumni involved somehow; so I got in contact a few who I know are still performing and they were happy to participate.  This year's spring concert has been the most impromptu of all the concerts I've put together.  However, looking at the lineup of performances, I can honestly say that this program is possibly one of my favorites since I began teaching here at Saucedo and definitely one of the most memorable.  Seeing and hearing the story this program presents made me realize  just how big an impact the Saucedo Band Program has made on the lives of many students throughout the years. 

This concert is dedicated to all Saucedo band students, past and present, those who have persevered through 8th grade graduation, those who played only for a year, those who are still with us, those who have moved beyond...you make the Saucedo Band legacy memorable.  Enjoy the 2021 Virtual Spring Concert.

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Mr. Carlos Ayento

Director of Music and Bands

Maria Saucedo Scholastic Academy