Spring Concerts include elementary students
By Loreen Berlin
Nothing could be more soul-stirring than the all-string Music Masters and the Anaheim Union High School District GATE Orchestra playing the National Anthem during the recent spring concert.
Students are under the direction of GATE Music Founder Julie Metz and are truly amazing to have learned so much new music in such a short few months of school. Metz is assisted by Associate Music Teachers Mrs. Oates and Mrs. Sakovich in Beginning and Intermediate Piano and Ms. Kim in Advanced Orchestra.
Approximately 100 GATE Piano students performed April 17, along with 20 Advanced Orchestra students, at the Orangeview Junior High School in Anaheim and 130 Music Master and Anaheim Union High School District GATE Orchestra members performed April 22, at the Knott Avenue Christian Church in Anaheim. Students performed on violin, viola and cello.
Listening to the students perform so precisely in such a short time from September when school begins to April when music classes wrap up and instruments are returned to the district, is truly amazing. The concert is a real listening pleasure and leaves listeners wanting more and that is why they return each year.
Students in the keyboard classes learn to read notes and master rhythm and then they can continue to work their way up to performing a string instrument with the orchestra when they are ready.
The GATE Music program is celebrating its 26th anniversary this year under the direction of professional musician and GATE Founder Julie Metz.
The district, with 22 elementary schools, has students who attend from the cities of Anaheim, Buena Park, Cypress, La Palma and Stanton.
No money for the program comes from the school district; all monies are donated and the music program’s snack bar helps fund professional music teachers.
The GATE Orchestra, a private 501(c)3 organization, provides beginning through advanced instruction on stringed instruments to public school students in grades 4 through 12 and piano keyboard to grades one through six.
