By Vedant Mishra

Image courtesy: iStock images

The International Academy music department kicked off the performance season with its Fall Band Concert on the fifteenth of October. Held in Bloomfield Hills High School, the event featured performances by the Jazz Band, Concert Band, and Symphonic Band, all under the direction of Mr. Eric LaNoue.

The Jazz Band opened the evening to the audience, they started off with Besame Mucho, arranged by Rick Stitzel, and ended their part of the concert with Four by Miles Davis. The audience roared with applause for both of these incredible performances.

The Concert Band followed with a well-balanced program that demonstrated both technical skill and expressive playing. Highlights included a bold rendition of Rough Riders by Karl K. King and a spooky yet fascinating performance of Nevermore by Brian Balmages. The group closed their set with Joy by Frank Ticheli, a pleasant piece that left the audience delighted. 

The evening concluded with the Symphonic Band, whose advanced repertoire included Nobles of the Mystic Shrine by John Philip Sousa and the dramatic Lightning Field by John Mactey. Their performance of Cajun folk songs by Frank Ticheli brought the concert to an incredible close, demonstrating the ensemble’s attention to detail, musical maturity, and unified sound.

The Fall Concert marked the first major performance of the school year and was warmly received by families, friends, and community members. With many more concerts on the horizon, the International Academy band program is off to a promising and exciting start.