Freeport students host summer arts concert

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Clad in yellow t-shirts, Freeport fourth grade violin students lightly lifted their violins to their shoulders. After three weeks of participating in the Summer Academy of the Arts, they were finally ready to perform for their friends and family on July 28.

The Freeport High School Performing Arts Center filled with parents and Freeport schools faculty and staff to watch the kids in grades four to eight showcase their music. Upon entering FHS, art exhibits highlighting Pop Art inspired by the 1960s was on display. The fourth and fifth graders created Pop Art inspired by artist Jim Dine and Neo Dada movements by using collage and stained glass techniques. The six through eighth graders created art works by studying the work of visual artist Peter Max.

Inside the Performing Arts Center, students took the stage and on their violins performed The Beatles songs influenced by the summer program’s theme, “All You Need is Love.”

After violin renditions of “Love Me Do,” “Yesterday,” and “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Di,” by The Beatles, students dressed like the 1960s group, and impersonated each band member. The Summer Academy of the Arts band performed “Twist and Shout,” “Tribute to George Harrison,” and “The Beatles: Love.”

The Summer Academy of the Arts chorus also performed more Beatles songs and sang, “Gotta Get You Into My Life,” in addition to the pop song by Kelly Rowland and David Guetta, “When Love Takes Over.” Just when attendees thought the show was over, the Summer Academy of the Arts Mariachi band performed songs, “Carino” by Juan Escamillo and a Beatles Mariachi version of “This Boy.”

The summer program was a three week program where 250 students, grades four through eight, experienced musical and artistic education and appreciation through a variety of classes and courses, including instrumental, vocals, dance and theatrical performance, and multimedia arts.