The Riverside junior band, senior band and choir got invited to perform in a pre-game performance for the Harlem Globetrotters at the Pacific Colosseum on December 7. ”The Harlem Globetrotters sales manager contacted me and asked if the Riverside band and Music Fusion wanted to be in a pre-game show,” said Ms. Glenda Ottens. “Music Fusion is a mix of all grades band and choir that play fun uplifting songs,” said Ottens. Music Fusion played “feeling good” by Michael Bublé, which made the audience turn their focus to the stage to hear Music Fusion’s voices and instruments echoing throughout the colosseum.
Junior band and Senior band set up on stage next to play ‘Sing, Sing, Sing’ arranged by Michael Story, a music composer who has written extensively for college, high school, middle school, and elementary school bands. Story holds a Bachelor and Master’s degree in music education from the University of Houston.
Preparation for the event was time consuming. “It took a lot of work to get the song to where we were happy with it. We had to take a lot of time out of our mornings and doing other things to practice enough to get it good enough to play in front of an audience, but it was a great experience to get junior and senior band together and to run on to the court and all play together,” said Cam Foster a Grade 12 band student in Senior band.
Riverside Music Fusion, junior band, and senior band all had a great time after their performance watching the Globetrotters play and win against the Washington Generals before going home proud and excited from their performance.
