Event a testament to school district’s DEDICATION to fine arts

To the EditorW

I congratulate the Upper Dublin High School band parents, the UD Marching Band Director Mr. Chris Horn and the UD School District for the great marching band competition that they held last Saturday night at UDHS. They brought together 12 of this area’s high school marching bands for an evening of education and en- tertainment. Then, following the high school bands, they presented the Temple University Marching Band with more than 225 exhilarating musicians who truly got the crowd to its feet with music and dancing.

I have some experience with marching band competitions and truly know the amount of work that goes into putting a show of this type together. I also know that for a while the UD “Spectacle in Sound” was on its last legs to include canceling it one year. Mr. Horn and the UD band parents have brought the show back to how it was in the glory days when Dick harschner was the UD director.

I would also add that I spent some time in the stands watching the bands with Dr. Michael mladus, UD superintendent of schools. He was not only there in support of this event; he spent time with the judges, who were there grading the bands, learning more about the qualities that are expected of the performers. This is not always the case of some administrations.

Unfortunately, that same evening I also sat for a while

with a school board member of one of the visiting bands and he was telling me how they were cutting the music staff at their school district. And as we watched his school’s band, in which his son was a member, perform, we could, unfortunately, see the results of these cuts.

mrior to the competition I was given a tour of the new UDHS music facility by UD Choral Director Mr. Nate Arnold. This outstanding facility is a testimony of the GHGLFDWLRn WR WKH finH DUWV WKDW UDHS is giving to its students. I would just ask that the citizens of Upper Dublin Township show their support of their UD schools by attending the various events that are held in our UD School District. Ross Brightwell

Maple Glen