My friend, Robin Saunders (a music teacher for SFUSD) urged me to come early to the Elementary School Music. It was a good tip-a hour before the concert was to begin, Lincoln’s large auditorium was filled with excited musicians, their parents, their grandparents and their brothers and sisters.

Rob Daniels, Program Administrator for Visual and Performing Arts, called up the first year violinists by showing that he was a pro at these type of concerts with the advice “Put your violin in your cases before you come up to the stage.”

The concert was for the 4th and 5th graders who are taking lessons at their school-and could memorize the songs that they were performing. Thanks to Proposition H, the number of students participating in music programs throughout SFUSD’s elementary schools has increased-and according to several parents of second year students, the number of participants have also increased.

The concert started out with a bang-when so many first violinists stood at the orchestra pit, that they spilled out to the edge of the stage. At that point, Rob Daniels, Program Administrator for Visual and Performing Arts, revealed an entire stage filled with first year violinists-over 350 in total.

Alice Mosely, another teacher in the elementary music program (and a friend of mine) accompanied all of the first year ensembles. The first violinists were conducted by Ronna McMurray and Carla Lehmann and did a wonderful job of performing “Allegro,” “Song of the Wind” and “Popcorn.”

There was 30 first year trumpet players. Conducted by Arianna Estrada and Steve Bell, they did a great job with “Carnival of Venice” and the crowd-pleasing “When the Saints Come Marching In.” They even lifted their excellent voices to sing ala Louis Armstrong one chorus together.

Thirty nine clarinet players and one lone saxophonist performed “Morning Mood (Grieg’s Holberg Suite)” and “Billboard March”. They were conducted by Peter Gorachin. The 56 first year flute players came up to perform “Ode to Joy (Beethovern’s Ninth Symphony” and “Theme from Jeopardy” with conductors Robin Saunders and Albert Yamochoa.

Then a real treat occured when all of the first year trumpets, clarinets, flutes and the lone saxophonist performed a “Lovely Evening Round” with Steve Bell conducting the trumpets, Peter Gorachin conducting the clarinets (and the saxophone) and Robin Saunders conducting the flutes.

Then 35 recorder students perform “Canario”, “Mozart Serenade (Sonata K. 311) and “Theme from the Titantic.” Some of the younger siblings sang along.

Cindy Pacini and Monica Ho-Leung conducted the choir of 62 students to “Do Re Mi,” “Oh Be Joyful and “Dona Nobis Pacem.” The later was done as a beautiful round. The audience got to participate in the last two songs-”Take Me Out to the Ballgame” and “San Francisco.”

The 2nd year violin students (over 100!) performed under Ann Kim the selections of “Country Gardens”, “Mozart Serenade” and “Harvest Home.”
The festival band of the 2nd year trumpets, clarinets and flutes along with drums and other brass instruments performed “Cardiff Castle,” “La Bamba” and “Let’s Go Band.”

But the concert wasn’t truly over till the proud musicans were hugged by their fans and many photos were taken of the musicans with their instruments.

Congratulations to all who participated!!