Band

The LSA band began giving performances in the multi-purpose room of the main building before the Sports Complex was built along with its large stage, so it came as a welcome surprise when they were asked to perform at the Shilling Auditorium, which was filled with comfortable seating and outstanding acoustics. The LSA band was allowed to sell tickets for the event and was allowed to keep the money they had raised, with which they purchased their bass drum.

Along with a performance at the Shilling Auditorium, the LSA band was granted the opportunity to perform atRichlandCommunity College’s graduation ceremony. The band performed a thirty-minute concert and played the processional and recessional for the graduates. Imagine playing “Pomp and Circumstance” for twenty consecutive minutes!

One year, the band was asked to perform a jazz concert for a resident of a nursing home. The man was a former jazz band leader/bass player and was suffering severely from cancer. The man showed the LSA jazz band his photo collection of his performances and told stories about his band performing around the country while using a rail road car for transportation. A week after the LSA jazz band performed for him, the man passed away from his cancer.

It took about three years for the high school praise team to get up and going, but after their fourth year, the team finally had a solid foundation. They traveled to the association churches that were teaching Sunday school and performed for the kids in attendance. The praise team also played worship music for the closing service of the CID/SID teacher’s conference that year, and were even invited to a town nearSt. Louisto give a contemporary worship service to the school there.

For a few years, the LSA band put on very memorable Pop’s Concerts. The girls wore their prom dresses while the guys wore their suits and tuxes. Tables were set up with tablecloths and flowers, and a slew of concessions, including beverages donated by the students and thousands of cookies baked by Ms. Ismari, were given out for the audience. The audience was allowed to wander around and socialize in the informal/formal atmosphere while the band performed, making for a very enjoyable evening

The jazz band was invited to play at the Jauve Jazz Festival one year. The Juave Foundation was showcasing local jazz programs, and that year LSA actually had a full band! They were given a chance to play for both veteran jazz players and parents, making for a very thrilling experience!

On one occasion the band took trips to see both Wicked in Chicago and The Phantom of the Opera inSt. Louis, giving the band the chance to see shows like them for the first time and to see the possible careers options that can come with learning the arts.

One year the band was playing a Pop’s Concert, and as the band played “Hot, Hot, Hot,” a mother in the audience got up and led the crowd in a conga line around the multi-purpose room! Everyone enjoyed it so much that they played the song several times.

The high school drummers performed “Lids” soon after the musical “Stomp Out Loud” became popular. When they arrived on stage, the audience exploded in cheering, clapping, and screaming, just like they were at a rock concert! A few years after this, the drummers performed again, but they filled their drums with balloons which they released halfway through the performance!