May 11 was a wet and wild day for the students and instructors who make up ORR Junior High School’s chorus and bands, as the groups attended the Great East Music Festival hosted in West Springfield. The seventh- and eighth-grade chorus, led by Angie Vaughn, secured gold, as did the seventh- and eighth-grade band, led by Jim Farmer.
The weather threatened to rain on the festival the entire day, but that didn’t dampen the spirits of the students who poured everything they had into their performances.
Great East Music Festivals are hosted at various venues this time of the year offering an opportunity for musical performances in an educational atmosphere. Although the festival does not foster competition, it does score the students on their performances and awards prizes to the highest. The festival also includes mini-clinics that aim at providing the students with constructive information on improving their group dynamic in music performance.
After the close of the festival, the students enjoyed an afternoon at Six Flags.
“They earned and deserved it after all their hard work,” Vaughn said. “We did it!”
The students sold candy bars during the winter months to help pay for the expenses associated with the trip and Six Flags.
By Marilou Newell
