Members of the California Symphony presented a Special In Formance for over 1400 5th graders from the Mt. Diablo Unified School District over four shows in two days at the Lesher Center for the Arts. Forrest Byram (Tuba) led the program, along with Bill Harvey (Trumpet), Kale Cummings (Trumpet), Meredith Brown (French Horn), and Don Benham (Trombone). The group traveled in time and played such pieces as “William Tell Overture,” “ Horn Concerto,” “Mozart’s Minute, “ and a Strauss Waltz. The group talked about their instruments, why the shape and length affects the sound, Byram even used a garden hose to make a very long horn. Forrest Byram then demonstrated how rhythm is important to music, and led the students in a foot stomping, hand clapping and singing “We Will Rock You.” Victor Avdienko , a percussionist joined the group to talk about his drum kit and xylophone, and backed up the brass section on “The Entertainer,” “In the Mood,” and ended with “La Bamba".
The In Formance was held on February 22 and 23 and was sponsored by the Mount Diablo Music Education Foundation, who paid for the program and the busing for the 5th graders. The Mount Diablo Music Education Foundation is dedicated to supporting the music programs in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District and will be hosting the 2nd All Area Music Festival at the Sleep Train Pavilion on Saturday, May 14 featuring student performers in bands and choirs from the high schools, middle schools and elementary schools.