Concert Participants

About: 

The Robert E. Fitch High School Jazz Ensemble from Groton, Connecticut, which is known as the “Submarine Capital of the World” because of the town’s long history of submarine manufacturing and home to a United States Naval Base. The audition based ensemble is comprised of students in grades 9 through 12 and prepares a variety of repertoire that explores the many different styles and genres within the jazz idiom. The Jazz Ensemble performs four concerts throughout the school year in addition to performing at festivals, adjudications, and community events.

Fun Fact:

The Fitch High School Jazz Ensemble performs at numerous jazz festivals throughout the year and has placed in the top four bands in their class at the Berklee College of Music International Jazz Festival.

Social Media: 

Website: www.fitchhighbands.com 

Facebook: @FitchFalconMusicBoosters

About:

The Gaudete Brass is made up of five musicians who believe in the expressive power of brass chamber music. Since 2004 the quintet has creatively expanded the quintet repertoire, developing unique programs that have resonated with audiences across America. Gaudete has performed live and on radio in New York and Chicago, commissioned new works from noted composers such as David Sampson and Stacy Garrop, and has recorded four albums, including two for Cedille Records. Gaudete has also presented educational programs at many schools including Juilliard and Eastman. Gaudete (gow-day-tay) is a form of the Latin word for “Joy.” We support the idea that chamber music, even (and perhaps especially) the serious kind, can powerfully communicate both the poignant and the exuberant.

Social Media

Website: www.gaudetebrass.com

Twitter: @gaudetebrass

Facebook: @gaudetebrass

About: 

From Redlands, California, this group is made up of wind and string players from the three comprehensive high schools in Redlands: Redlands High School, Redlands East Valley High School and Citrus Valley High School. Located in Southern California’s “Inland Empire”. Redlands is located approximately 70 miles east of Los Angeles, nestled at the base of the towering San Bernardino Mountains.

Fun Fact: 

This is the first time this group has been organised to travel overseas, and we are very excited to be a part of this parade.

Social Media: 

Twitter: @RedlandsHighSch

About: 

Under the direction of Melanie Oran, the Walker Valley Band Program consists of 175 students across several ensembles including Chamber choir , Advanced Ladies Choir, Concert Choir and 9th Grade Girls Chorus. The choirs have performed for various local concerts and competitions in southeast Tennessee.

Fun Fact:

This will be the choir’s third appearance in London’s New Year’s Day Parade!

Social Media: 

Website: www.walkervalleyband.com 

Twitter: @wvhsband

About:

Mountain View High School is located in the heart of Silicon Valley in California. The Wind Ensemble consistently receives top ratings at California Music Educators Association (CMEA) festivals and are well represented in the Santa Clara County and CBDA All-State Honour Bands year after year. The success of this group is largely attributed to the high degree of student leadership and a very supportive school and community. The Band would like to thank the MVHS Instrumental Music Parents Association for their ongoing support and volunteer efforts!

Fun Fact: 

The MVHS Wind Ensemble has enjoyed participating in the Pacific Basin Music Festival in Hawaii since its’ inception in 1986. Aside from playing awesome music, Student leaders host several preschool classes each year to educate 2 – 4 year-olds about all the different instruments.

Social Media: 

Website: www.mvspartanmusic.net

Twitter: @SpartanMusic

Facebook: @MVSpartanMusic

Instragram: @MVSpartanMusic 

About:

Hamilton High School Concert Choir is from Sussex, Wisconsin. Under the direction of Marilyn Mascitti and Megan Menzel, the choirs have performed competitively in New York and Disney World, and this is the choir’s first trip out of the country for the performance opportunity. The group travelling to London is a sub-group of our larger choir program, which contains 3 curricular choirs and a competitive show choir, overall involving over 130 students in the school.

Fun Fact:

The choirs at Hamilton have performed with the Milwaukee Master Singers, Mark Wood’s “Electrify Your Strings” program, and as part of a professional collaboration with the “McCartney Years.” They have participated in Carthage College choir festivals for over 10 years and sang as part of an area Choral Union concert at St. John’s Cathedral in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Social Media:

Website: Hamilton High School

Facebook: @hamiltonhschoirs

Video 

About: 

Stillwater, Oklahoma is a college town of 50,000 residents, and the community’s support of music programs has always been robust. The High School Orchestra in Stillwater consistently earns top ratings in concert festivals. Our audiences enjoy performances that include a range of musical styles; from the masters of classical composition, the the folk/fiddle tradition, and even the contemporary pop/rock genre.

Fun Fact: 

Our orchestra’s concert in May of 2018 included a collaboration with Kyle Dillingham and Horseshoe Road, a contemporary folk / country band. Some of that performance is view able on our Facebook page, “Stillwater Orchestras”.

Social Media: 

Website: www.stillwaterschools.com 

Twitter: SHS Pioneer Orchestra 

Facebook: Stillwater Orchestras

About:

The Robert E. Fitch High School Wind Ensemble is from Groton, Connecticut, which is known as the “Submarine Capital of the Word” because of the town’s long history of submarine manufacturing and home to a United States Naval Base. The ensemble is comprised of students in grades 9 thorough 12 and prepares a variety of repertoire that not only includes pieces from the standard wind ensemble repertoire,m but music of different time periods, styles and cultures. The Wind Ensemble performers four concerts throughout the school year in addition to performing at festivals, adjudications, and community events.

Fun Fact: 

The Fitch High School Wind Ensemble most recently earned 1st place with a Superior Rating at the 2016 Festivals of Music Adjudication Festival in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Social Media: 

Website: www.fitchbands.com 

Facebook: @FitchFalconMusicBoosters

About: 

Desert Mountain Symphonic Orchestra is comprised of members of the string orchestra and wind ensemble. These students range from 14-18 years old and rehearse outside of the school day to form this full orchestra. This group performs 3-4 performances a year with music from the classics through modern movie soundtracks. These students enjoy the rich textures and timbres that are made in a full orchestra music ensemble. We hope you enjoy our performance, as we are very excited to perform in London.

Fun Fact: 

This will be Band Director, Michelle Irvin’s, 5th time to the UK. She has a passion to share the UK experience with her students due to her British heritage. Her British Grandfather was a Kings Trumpeter as part of the prestigious Royal Horseguards. Michelle believes the history of the UK and London is very important for heightening her students global awareness.

Social Media

Website: www.dmhsband.org

Facebook: @www.dmhsband.org

Twitter: @DMHSSUSD

Video

About: 

Hailing from Groton, Connecticut, Fitch High School serves the diverse community that includes Groton Town and City, Mystic, Noank and Groton Long Point. A coastal community on Long Island Sound, Groton is also home to a Naval Base and across the Thames River from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.

Fun Fact:

The Orchestra Program has been in existence for just 10 years. Surprisingly, Mr. Frascarelli is their 5th director, and as of this year, their longest standing one. In his second year, they earned a 1st place award at the Virginia Beach Music Festivals Competition and since then has steadily grown in size and quality.

Social Media: 

Website: www.fitchbands.com 

Facebook: @FitchFalconMusicBoosters

About: 

America’s Clogging All’Stars is a high-energy percussive dance group from the east coast of the United States, who specialise in a unique dance form called clogging. After PowerTaps clogged their way down the 2017 LNYDP parade route, cloggers were welcomed back to London for this year’s parade. This time, they have combined the talents of 8 competitive clogging teams to dance united in the 2019 LNYDP as America’s Clogging All’Stars. You will hear this group before you see them as they create captivating beats with their feet in a dynamic showcase of both traditional and contemporary forms of clogging.

Fun Fact: 

America’s Clogging All’Stars consists of regional and national champion team members and soloists as well as some of the United States’ top clogging performers. Though these team usually compete against one another, they have set aside their rivalries to share the stage and their passion for clogging with the World together.

Social Media: 

Website: www.americascloggingallstars.com 

Facebook: @americascloggingallstars

Twitter: @PowerTaps

Video

About: 

The Pinewood School Choir hail from Pinewood High School in Los Altos Hills, California. We are a small school in the heart of Silicon Valley with a huge passion for the performing arts. Our touring choir is a combination of our two concert choirs and contemporary acappella ensemble. We love singing music that crosses a variety of genres and styles, from around the World, and past and present.

Social Media: 

Website: www.pinewoodarts.com

Facebook: @PinewoodPerformingArts

Instagram: @pwperformingarts

About: 

The Downers Grove north High School Wind Ensemble (Downers Grove, Illinois) is the most advanced concert band at North High School and has performed throughout the United States and Europe. The band has entertained audiences at New York’s famed Carnegie Hall and maintains an active music exchange program with the Musikschule of Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany.

Social Media

Website: www.northfinearts.blogspot.com

Twitter: @DGNFineArts

Facebook: @northfinearts

Instagram: @dgnfinearts

Video 

About: 

The Hamilton Symphonic Winds is just one part of a comprehensive instrumental music program that includes two concert bands, two jazz bands, competitive marching band, pep band as well as numerous chamber ensembles and other opportunities. The band prides itself on a tradition of high quality performances and experiences for the students as well as excellence in representing the Hamilton School District.

Fun Fact:

Most recently, the Charger Marching Band took 3rd place at the 2014, 2015 & 2018 WSMA State Marching Band Championships and the Symphonic Winds and Championships and the Symphonic Winds and Jazz took Best in Festival awards at the Festivals of Music in New York City in 2017. The band is excited and honoured to be part of the New Year’s festivities in London, England this year and is grateful to the families and the Hamilton Band Booster organisation for incredible ongoing support.

Social Media

Website: www.chargerband.weebly.com

Facebook: @ChargerBandSussexWi