News
Symphonic Band Spring Concert
The 61-member Bolles Symphonic Band, conducted by Don Zentz, presented its Spring Concert on Thursday, May 1, in Parker Auditorium in the Betsy Lovett Arts Center on the Bartram Campus. The program paid tribute to the nine senior band members in the band- Tushar Chakravarty, Woo Jin Cho, Raphael Johnson, Woo Kun Kim, Tom Lee, Kenny McClain, Sam Shafer, Elizabeth Smith, and Alison Weisman. Each senior selected their favorite piece from their years in the band at Bolles. Selections included “March to the Scaffold”, “Danse Bacchanale”, “Simple Gifts”, “The Lion King”, and “Earth, Wind & Fire in Concert”.
Zentz spoke about each senior, outlining their overall achievements and well-rounded activities during their time at Bolles. The senior accolades from within the band include this year's class valedictorian and salutatorian, the Student Council president and members, National Honor Society officers and members, Honor Council members, a Morehead-Cain scholarship recipient, the co-captain of the state championship girls' soccer team, state championship winners in track, members of the Phoenix Arts Honor Society, math team members, a state Spanish competition participant, Perspective contributors, a yearbook staff member, and the prom king. At the end of the program, this impressive group of seniors roasted Zentz with each presenting him a symbolic gag gift.
For this year, the band had a record number of students selected for the district private schools honor band (18). Additionally, three students were selected for the Tri-State Honor Band Festival at Florida State University and three band members continued their association with the Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestra through audition. Eighty-eight percent of all band members received a first division band rating of Outstanding at the Independent Schools Music Festival Solo & Ensemble Festival back in November, and the Bolles Symphonic Band received an overall score of 96 from three adjudicators at the ISMF Concert Band Festival in March. It has been a very successful year for the Bolles Band!
