I just got home from Rose’s final band performance. They played 5 songs; the first song was Skysplitter Fanfare, which they also played at the All County Band Honor Clinic at SMHS a couple months ago. Rose is front row, 2nd chair in on the right. (She was cutely keeping time with her foot.)
The second song was Mechanical Monsters, which Ellie and Laurie got to hear in person when the band performed at the concert festival in Cookeville. It’s one of my favorites this year. It depicts like a robot rampage so it sounds very clanky and clunky.
The third song was Circle of Life from the Lion King. Dr. Buttram said they learned this song because one of the kids asked “Can we play something… ya know… popular?”
They also played Blackbeard, which is another one of my favorites this year. They also played this one a couple months ago at SMHS. Rose's friend Livvie is clanking chains in the background, and the kids shout “ARRR!” at the end. (Ellie commented: I love the Lion King piece too!! And I love that Dr. Buttrum LISTENED to the kid who wanted to play something familiar for once. He's the best!!)
The fifth and final song was Union March, which Ellie and Laurie also got to see in person in Cookeville. I really like this one too. (Laurie commented: Fantastic job!! I noticed Dr. Buttrum on the drums in the back … was a kid supposed to be playing that, who couldn’t make it? Becky: Yes, exactly, he had to fill in for a kid who didn’t show up.)
The poor 5th grade band, there were literally only 5 kids who showed up. It’s a tiny little band anyway (11 kids in total) and only 5 were there to play tonight. But man, I gotta give those kids a lot of credit because even though there were so few, they could still carry a tune, you could recognize what they were playing.
They played another concert the next week. I thought they were playing with both highschool bands but it was just CCHS. They played 2 songs together. The highschool band was really impressive! I was amazed! The pieces they played were so… what’s the word… they took you on a journey, lots of ups and downs, fast and slow, loud and soft… they were amazing!
The first song was Skysplitter Fanfare, which might sound familiar to you by now, this was the 3rd time they’ve performed it. Their second song was Blackbeard again, which also might sound familiar to you by now. I just love this one! You can’t see Rose at all in my videos, she was completely blocked by the flute player in front of her. I didn’t realize that when I chose my seat, I thought she’d be in the 2nd row and I’d have a perfect view but she ended up in the first row and I couldn’t see her at all.
Rose told me about one of the songs she heard the highschool band playing during their practice together that she thought was really cool, she said it was about a train and there were lots of effects used to make it sound like a train.
Dr. Buttram was not at the performance and this is why he was not at the concert last night.
Congratulations to our own DOCTOR Jerry Buttrum! We applaud your hard work and success.
We are blessed to have you as our awesome music teacher and band director!
Reporter: Becky Heiden 
The Robinson Connection: Rose is the daughter of Becky and Dave.