NORTHFIELD — After polishing their musical routines, students from the Pioneer Valley Regional School band won an excellence award for their performance at the Heritage Music Festival in Canada.
About 49 band members traveled to Canada for the festival to compete against three or four other high school concert bands across the nation, accomplishing their goal of returning home with a silver or gold award.
“It makes me proud. It kind of tells me how I am doing in a way. I get feedback from the judges and see their hard work pay off and dream up what we are going to do next and how we are going to do better,” said Pioneer Band Director Nathan Holesovsky.
The students spent most of the fall semester learning the marching band formations and scores to perform at football games, and started preparing for the festival in December, Holesovsky said.
The band performed three compositions and one marching band piece for judges during the three-day trip.
Although the main purpose of the trip is to strengthen the camaraderie among all band members and to receive feedback from professional concert musicians, the students also had the opportunity to explore the area.
The cultural councils from the four towns that Pioneer represents donated money for the trip. Local businesses and private residents also donated money for the trip.
Residents will have the chance to hear the Pioneer Regional School District’s music on Friday, May 20, at the annual Pops Concert in the gym, which showcases the middle school and high school marching band, concert band, and chorus.
The event is a night of pop, Broadway and movie music. “We hit on everything. We find something for everybody,” Holesovsky said. It’s one of the most attended events of the year. Typically over 500 people attend.
Tickets for adults are $7 for adults $5 for students and senior citizens. For more information about upcoming events at the school, visit http://pvrs.pvrsdk12.org.