Young musicians to perform this week

Annual CMEA festival Thursday and Friday

More than 1,500 musicians from throughout the South Valley will converge on the Buck Shaffer Theater, Porterville Memorial Auditorium this Thursday and Friday for the annual California Music Educators Association annual music festival.

Schools from throughout Kings and Tulare County will perform three selections and be adjudicated by a panel of veteran music educators.

The show kicks off on Thursday with elementary and middle school bands, then continues on Friday with high school bands.

Each band is given 30 minutes to shine on stage.

Judging the performances will be Dale Engstrom, retired from Fresno City College, Mike Schofield, from Kingsburg High School, Bill Ingram, retired from Tulare Union High School, and Jeff Bilden, retired from College of Sequoias will be the judges.

This festival is not a competition as the bands are rated individually on the performance of their particular selections. It is also acceptable to perform and receive comments for the adjudicators rather than a rating.

The event is free and a great opportunity to support and enjoy the great music that is happening in our schools.

The CMEA Music Festival is known as one of the most important musical events of the year for band directors. The festival serves as a gauge for band programs, said Jim Kusserow, Porterville High School band director.

This year, 12 elementary and middle schools bands are participating and 14 high school bands. Perfomances begin at 8:41 a.m. on Thursday and 7:50 a.m. on Friday.

At the end of each performance, each band director is presented with the band’s overall score, and comments on the band’s performance.

The event is free and open to the public. The Porterville Memorial Auditorium is located at 465 W. Olive Ave.

Thursday’s schedule

Alpine Vista Band, 8:41 a.m.

Rockford Concert Band, 9:27 a.m.

Strathmore Middle School Band, 9:50 a.m.

Admiral Akers Middle School Band, 10:23 a.m.

Carl Smith Middle School Band, 10:36 a.m.

Pioneer Middle School Band, 11 a.m.

Summit Charter Collegiate Academy 11:23 a.m.

Lunch break — noon to 1 p.m.

Mulcahy Middle School, 1 p.m.

Citrus Middle School, 1:23

Sequoia Middle School Band, 1:46 p.m.

Pixley Middle Schyool 2:09 p.m.

Sunnyside Elementary Band, 2:55 p.m.

Friday’s schedule

Strathmore High School, 7:50 a.m.

Summit Charter Collegiate Academy Allstar, 8:20 a.m.

Tulare Union High

Concert, 8:50 a.m.

Woodlake High School, 9:20 a.m.

Reedley High Concert, 9:50

Monache High School, 11:30 a.m.

Tulare Western Symphonic Band, 11 a.m.

Lunch — noon to 1 p.m.

Granite Hills High School Concert Band, 1 p.m.

Exeter Union Symphonic Band, 1:30 p.m.

Tulare Union Symphonic Band, 2 p.m.

Corcoran High School Wind Ensemble, 2:30 p.m.

Mission Oak High Symphonic Band, 3 p.m.

Orosi High School Concert Band, 3:30 p.m.

Porterville High School, 4 p.m.