On December 19, Shorewood’s elementary and middle school band performed at a Milwaukee Bucks game for the second year in a row.
Katherine Myszewski, elementary school band director, ensures that students get this opportunity by reserving a spot in the Fiserv Forum in advance.
“About a year in advance I reserve a spot for us, and then in August we get to select which games would work for us,” Myszewski said.
Students departed right after school and made their way to Fiserv Forum, entering through the same doors as the players.
“We got to go onto the basketball court where the players enter which was really fun,” said Patrick Roberts, seventh grader and clarinet player. “[The players] were already on the court when we got in.”
Students enjoyed watching the players warm up for their game.
“We got to sit on the seats right in front of the court and we got to watch the players warm up,” Roberts said. “I really liked the experience.”
Each year, the band students have the opportunity to play new songs at the game.
“This year, the group played ‘Seven Nation Army’ by The White Stripes. They also played ‘The Hey Song’ by Gary Glitter [and] ‘Let’s Go Bucks,’” Myszewski said. “They also played ‘Land of 1000 Dances’ by Wilson Pickett, the Star Wars main theme by John Williams, and ‘25 or 6 to 4’ by Chicago.”
Elementary and middle school students began preparing for this performance after their respective winter concerts. The middle school concert took place on December 6, and the elementary school concert took place on December 12.
“We started getting the music for [the Bucks performance] after our winter concert,” Roberts said. “So we had a little under a month to prepare.”
Students celebrated their performance by watching the game.
“The [Bucks] playing was very nice too — we got to watch them after that,” Roberts said. “The concert celebration is the game itself.”
Performing at Fiserv Forum gave students the opportunity to perform in a new space.
“The highlight of the excursion, I think, is really being able to perform in a different space,” Myszewski said. “Just being able to see ourselves on the Jumbotron, being able to get a chance to see the players up close and get to cheer on our team and help support them through music.”
Myszewski is rewarded by the students’ enjoyment.
“The highlight for me is seeing kids walk through the tunnel and their faces just absolutely light up because they are on the court side for the first time,” Myszewski said.