MCS to host send-off concert for TBMF participants

Members of Mount Carmel School’s Concert Band, under the direction of Julian Greening, gather for a group photo at last year’s Tumon Bay Music Festival, where the band took home the silver award in its category. (Contributed Photo)

unt Carmel School is helping island musicians prepare for the 2020 Tumon Bay Music Festival with a send-off concert this Saturday, Feb. 22, starting at 5pm in the school’s auditorium. The concert will feature the school’s band, led by music teacher and conductor Julian Greening. The concert will also feature the Saipan Pacific Winds Band and the Marianas High School Band, both of which will be led by conductor and long-time collaborator Atsuko Eck.

At last year’s festival, the MCS band took home the silver award in its category. The award was a significant accomplishment as it was the first time that the school’s band had participated in the festival and for many students in the band, it was their first year learning a musical instrument. The band looks forward to accomplishing even more at this year’s festival.

The send-off concert will help all performers prepare for the festival by rehearsing some festival pieces before a live audience. Some numbers included in the concert repertoire will be songs by Stevie Wonder, a medley from Earth, Wind, and Fire, and highlights from Mount Carmel School’s next musical production, The Sound of Music.

School president Dr. Galvin Deleon Guerrero—a long-time supporter of the performing arts—is excited for the concert. “Whether it be our plays, musicals, or films, we have done our best with limited resources to support the performing arts. Our school band and this concert are no different,” he said. “We invite everyone in the community to enjoy the music and appreciate the passion of these talented musicians.”

The school has a long history of hosting the performing arts. The school’s historic auditorium is not only where the CNMI Covenant and Constitution were signed, but it has also been home to numerous concerts and shows since the ’60s. The school’s Theatre Club has produced over 50 shows since its founding in 1996, including last year’s production of the Broadway hit Mamma Mia!, which featured Greening and members of the MCS band. Recently, the school also announced plans to build a state-of-the-art performing arts hall for the Saipan community.

Admission for Saturday’s concert is complimentary. For more information, call 234-6184 or visit www.mountcarmelsaipan.com. (PR)