Vienna Jammers at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music

Advanced Steel at CCM
One of Anna's favorite activities is participating in the Vienna Jammers.  This is her fourth year with the group, where she performs with Advanced Steel - a steel pan drum ensemble.  She had to audition to get into this group, which is made up of 8 - 12th graders.  They practice on Monday nights and have a lot of fun.  This year they had the opportunity to perform a concert at the University of Cincinnati's Conservatory of Music (CCM) on January 26. Check out the concert description here

This wasn't just any concert.  It was a joint concert with the university percussion ensemble and featured special guest percussionist Jon Bisesi.  This is how the Jammers got the invitation to perform.  Mr. Bisesi is a percussionist in the Marine Band and a faculty member of George Mason University's school of music.  He is also a graduate of CCM......and a board member for the Vienna Jammers.  That is the connection that made the concert happen.  Anna was able to join the Jammers for a weekend in Cincinnati.  There was a lot of practice time with the college students on Saturday and Sunday.  The end result was an awesome concert!  The college ensemble was incredible and played the first half of the concert.  Mr. Bisesi, a marimba virtuoso, was amazing and played with both the college students and the Jammers.  The Jammers had the crowd on their feet (many were not expecting such a show from "a bunch of kids") as they played the second half of the concert and the two groups joined together at the end.  It was a great experience!

It wasn't all work.  There was "Monday Funday" in which the Jammers got to tour the new Cincinnati Symphony Hall, take in an Omnimax movie, and spend the afternoon doing laser tag and indoor go cart racing.  It was a great weekend.

Joe and Theresa were able to make it to Cincinnati for the concert and take in a bit of the college atmosphere.  Theresa was insistent on finding the nearest Graeters ice cream (a  Cincinnati original) after the show, which required going through some sketchy neighborhoods (it was worth the danger).

A big thanks to Mr. Reynolds and Mr. Kaylor and all of the organizers of the trip for an awesome experience!  Anna will never forget it.


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