April 19, 2024

CCHS celebrates the performing arts

By DUSTY DAVIS

Members of the Creston Community High School band perform in a premier parade for an international audience at Disney World. Only 5 percent of bands who audition are chosen to perform in premier parades, said CCHS Band Director Mike Peters, who has been planning and organizing the trips which have happened every four years since 2002. (Contributed photo)

For 10 years, Creston Community High School’s Fine Arts Fest has showcased the talent of its performing art students to the community. The event, slated for 2 p.m. Sunday in the school’s gymnasium, will showcase music from the CCHS jazz band, soloists, a performance from the high school and middle school winter guards, and a showcase by students from the Spotlight School of Dance.

The annual fundraiser organized by Creston Community High School Music Director Michael Peters displays the musical talents of students, usually reserved for solo ensemble contests in front of parents and judges, to a wider audience.

“These kids have worked their butt off for weeks and weeks and weeks and months on a solo that only four or five people get to hear in a performance setting,” he said. “So we thought, ‘Let’s do an opportunity for people to come in, and (see) these kids who’ve worked so hard on these solos, to perform these solos for a large audience.’”

Peters said the entry fee and any contributions will go towards the expense of sending students to perform at Walt Disney World in Florida next year. For the last few years, CCHS students have led the Magic Kingdom parade as floats carrying Disney characters follow in their wake.

“It’s kind of wild because there’s like anywhere from 20,000 — 45,000 people lined up along that parade route,” he said.

Peters added that students will get a peek behind the Disney World curtain.

“The neatest thing about it is, they actually get to go backstage and see how Disney sets everything up and, how they make the magic happen, that kind of thing,” he said. “Which, if you’re not a performer, you never get to see anything like that.”

In the past, the trip has given Peters and students welcome surprises.

“As you’re marching along, you go around the castle and head down Main Street USA, and the neatest thing about that is that the trash cans start singing, ‘Go Creston High School!’” he said. “It freaked me out the first time,” he said.

Peters said the Creston Fine Arts Fest will maintain some COVID-19 restrictions. Jennifer Simmons, St. Malachy principal and parent volunteer, said that masks will be required for spectators.

Simmons said that 25 — 30 parent volunteers will be providing desserts, drinks as well as pies for the fundraising auction.

“This is our big, ‘finally normal.’” Peters said, stressing the importance of the fundraiser. “It’s 18 months away, hopefully by then everything will be fine and we’re going to let these kids be kids. It’s going to be great.”

Admission is $5.00 with spectators encouraged to contribute additional freewill donations. In addition to the pie auction, there will be memorabilia signed by the high school senior musicians that contributors can bid on.