Inside the M. Beatrice Ward Auditorium last week, the Johnston High School Select Choir joined their North Providence High School counterparts for a special song entitled “Prayer for the Children.”
Kurt Bestor wrote the song out of frustration over the ethnic cleansing and civil war in the former country of Yugoslavia, and it’s a standard at commemorations of tragic events, including events remembering 9/11, the Oklahoma City bombing and Columbine High School shootings.
The NPHS presentation served as the school’s Winter Concert.
The JHS Select Choir is under the direction of Matt Gingras, who has joined Ron Lamoureux and Oliver Reed to bring a stand-out music program to the school.
“Our students were very excited for this opportunity and couldn’t wait to take the stage at North Providence,” Gingras said. “The collaboration between schools will benefit both districts.”
Gingras’ wife Amy, with Stephen Morrison, coordinate events such as the concert at North Providence High.
The JHS choir is busy. On March 23, North Providence and Smithfield will be come to JHS for the annual Johnson Festival Concert.
“Those two choirs will join our students and perform the same ‘Prayer for the Children’ song,” Gingras said. “We have been working on the same piece and listening to and critiquing each other before last week’s appearance at North Providence. It was indeed a wonderful experience for both groups.”
In April, a host of JHS music students will take to the road and perform at the Music in the Park Festival in Virginia. To date, the Johnston Schools Music Boosters have been holding fund-raisers to help defray expenses and have a fundraiser scheduled for March 4 in the JHS cafeteria.
“Everyone connected with our music program is excited about the upcoming trip and opportunity to perform with and against students from schools all around the country,” said Lamoureux, who directs the entire JHS Music Department.
Members of the JHS Select Choir who performed at North Providence last week are Naomi Arevalo, Sarah H. Banno, Isabella Batista, Fallon Davis, Thomas C. Dyer IV, Matthew Eisemann, Kristen Falso, Emily Gaye, Xavier Greene, Chelsea Harrison, Gabriella Huezo, Kathleen Jaroma, Madison R. Kenny, Megan E. Langford, Edivania Lopes, Dante Masi, Laruen R. Papa, Isabella Parrillo and Hillary Rogers.
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