Last spring, the Santa Monica High School wind ensemble had the opportunity of a lifetime to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York. Later this month, the students will travel to San Jose to play at the California All-State Music Education Conference.
Trips like these help to put the Santa Monica-Malibu school district's music programs on the map, ensemble director Kevin McKeown has said.
“We have that responsibility to show other communities and other teachers in the state of California what we have in Santa Monica and why it needs to be supported in the community,” he said.
But the trips come with significant financial burdens, which is where the group's fundraising efforts come in.
The upcoming San Jose itinerary will be paid for in part by a Feb. 9 event at 7 p.m. at the Broad Stage (1310 11th St., Santa Monica), where the Samohi wind ensemble will take the stage with several guest performers and conductors for an evening of music and fundraising.
The 4th annual Bands at the Broad will feature musical performances as well as food, wine and a silent auction with a variety of prizes, including a stay in Hawaii. And it's all to benefit the students in McKeown's program.
This year's edition welcomes True Brass Choir, a Cerritos-based collective that aims to promote brass music through performance and educational outreach.
True Brass Choir is led by Jeffrey de Seriere, a saxophonist, teacher and conductor in Southern California who has worked in the music departments at Mayfair and University high schools. With a degree in music education from the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at the California State University at Long Beach, de Seriere has served as guest conductor for numerous symphonies.
De Seriere has studied under Anthony Mazzaferro, a San Francisco native who will also be a featured guest conductor during Bands at the Broad. Mazzaferro, who earned a musical doctorate from Arizona State University in 1986, has performed with bands and orchestras throughout California. He's also spearheaded the music faculty at Fullerton College.
The list of guest conductors also includes Thomas Lee, Travis Cross and Michael Stone. Lee was a longtime faculty member in UCLA's music department, Cross has served as a professor and vice chair in the same department and Stone was once a student teacher at Samohi.
“The level of guest conductors, arguably the most well-respected in their field, demonstrates the esteem in which our SMMUSD music programs are held within the State of California,” reads a press release.
The star of the evening will be Samohi's wind ensemble, which was selected to perform at the upcoming state conference through a competitive application process. The musicians will play works by Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein and Richard Strauss, among others.
“This is an opportunity for Samohi students to showcase the value of music education in the community,” the release reads.
Admission to Bands at the Broad costs $30 for adults and $15 for seniors and children. To purchase tickets, go to https://smapa.formstack.com/forms/2016bandsatthebroad. For more information, visit www.samohiband.org or email Alisa Facchini at alisafacchini@yahoo.com.