Longwood Honors Band to celebrate 25th annual event

Published 2:28 pm Tuesday, January 5, 2016

The 21st annual Longwood Honors Jazz Ensemble and the 25th annual Honors Concert Band performances will be held Friday at 7:30 p.m. in Jarman Auditorium on the Longwood University campus. Over 100 outstanding musicians representing 12 area high schools will combine to form these ensembles under the direction of Longwood University Department of Music faculty members Dr. Charles Kinzer and Dr. Gordon Ring.

Featured soloist with both groups will be Kevin Lewis, of Martinsville. Lewis received his Bachelor’s in Music Education from James Madison University and a Master’s in Music Curriculum and Instruction from Longwood University. He has more than 20 years experience as a band director at Patrick County and Martinsville High Schools and is currently the middle school band director at Laurel Park Middle School in Henry County. This spring he will be starting the instrumental music program at Patrick Henry Community College and will conduct the initial offerings of the jazz band and athletic bands. Lewis will solo with both the jazz and concert groups.

Area high schools schools and directors who will be participating include Amelia County, Ryan Stahl; Appomattox County, Bryan Allgood; Buckingham County, Danielle Neller; Fork Union Military Academy, Bruce Patterson; Goochland County, James Sykes and Mark Givens; Halifax County, Domonic Stephens; Lunenberg Central, Maurice Ellis; Nottoway County, David Chung; Petersburg, Clyde Boswell; Powhatan County; Nicholas Snead; Prince Edward County, Seth Taft; and Randolph-Henry, Derek Ramsey.

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Admission to the concert is free, and the public is invited to hear these fine high school musicians.