There were over 400 people in attendance at the Northeast Minneapolis Band Festival that took place on Tuesday, March 17, 2015.
This special evening started with an opening reception giving guests the opportunity to mingle with families, visit school tables to learn more about the music/art offerings, listen to live acoustic guitar music from the Northeast Center for Music, and be a part of the unveiling ceremony of Edison’s students’ wall of honor.
All Northeast Minneapolis Public Schools’ bands: Edison, Marcy, Northeast Middle School, Pillsbury, Sheridan, Waite Park, along with the Northeast Minneapolis Community band participated in this event. The last piece "joy" was performed by all the northeast bands and was directed by Lesley Rushton, Edison's Band Director. We even had a surprise visit from the Edison Alumni Band!
In addition to band performances, students from each school showed their school pride by sharing with the audience what they like best about being in band and why they like their school. Jerica Gillespie from Beacons did an excellent job of interviewing these students and emceeing this event!
Parents, principals, school and district staff, along with community members showed their support of Minneapolis Public Schools’ music programs by attending this event. Interim Superintendent Michael Goar, School Board member Jenny Arneson, Ward 1 Council Member, Kevin Reich and Ward 3 Council Member Jacob Frey were in attendance amongst many other community members and alumni.
We thank all of you for coming to this event! We are truly blessed to have such great music programs inside and outside of our schools in Northeast Minneapolis. The privilege to work with these students day in and day out is an absolute joy.
Lesley Rushton, Edison’s Band Director, is new to Edison this year and we thank her for her passion in acknowledging the great musical work that goes on in this area, getting to know the different programs and people, and supporting those programs.
Thank you for your support of the arts.