This year’s concert featured music from ‘Sound of Music’ and the rock group Queen
HOCKINSON — Multiple generations, ages 11 to 90, made beautiful music together Tuesday — including a Hockinson fifth grader and his great-grandmother.
Vancouver Pops flutist Normalee Enevoldsen waved across the Hockinson Heights Elementary gym at her great-grandson, a new baritone player.
“It was awesome,” he said after the performance by the Vancouver Pops, and the HMS eighth grade and fifth grade bands.
“We got to play in the same band!” exclaimed Enevoldsen, after the three ensembles performed a medley from “Star Wars.”
Enevoldsen’s grandfather was musical; her dad owned a music store, taught music and conducted symphonies; and she has a studio where she teaches piano and flute. “Our family are musicians,” she said, sharing that her great-grandchildren played music for her 80th birthday party in March.
This year’s concert, which featured music from “Sound of Music” and the rock group Queen, included another two-generation family connection: HMS Band director Jennifer Ritenburgh and her son, a fifth grade percussionist.
The Pops has been performing with Hockinson students for more than 20 years, and HMS is the only middle school currently performing with the group. The ensembles prepare songs separately and rehearse for 45 minutes before the concert. The Pops and eighth grade band also performed at HMS last week.
“(Playing music) is something you can do for a lifetime,” Pops director Pete Boulé told the assembly. “That’s what’s cool about it.”
Information provided by Hockinson School District.
