The Manta Ray Band was the only high school band from the Pacific territories chosen to perform with the four other school groups at the Carnegie’s Isaac Stern Auditorium.
The other participants were Laramie Senior High School String Orchestra of Laramie, Wyoming; the Baton Rouge Magnet High School Chamber Orchestra from Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Bridle Path/Montgomery Elementary Select String Ensemble of Lansdale, Pennsylvania; and Laramie Senior High School Plainsmen Singers, also of Laramie, Wyoming.
Judges for the competition were Dr. Lawrence Sutherland of California State University, Fresno; Arthur J. Holton Jr. of San Joaquin Delta College; Danielle McRoy of Long Island University; and Col. Michael J. Colburn, director of “The President’s Own” U.S. Marine Band and music adviser to the White House.
CNMI Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan presented the Manta Rays with a framed copy of the statement he had made in the U.S. House of Representatives on March 22 when he praised the Manta Ray Band and its accomplishments.
“It never ceases to amaze me how very accomplished our students can be, if given the resources and the leadership that encourage them to excel,” Sablan said in a statement.
“Witnessing the skill and determination of the Manta Ray Concert Band today only confirms my belief that in our islands our human resources are our greatest resource. If we are to prosper in the decades ahead we have to focus on nurturing and educating our young people today,” he added.
Sablan earlier told the Rotary Club of Saipan members that he would watch the Manta Ray Band’s performance at the Carnegie Hall.
“I have always avoided going to New York City in the past but this time, I will be there to support the Manta Ray band,” he said.
Sablan’s statement can be seen on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hlg-9WiJjXY.
Excited and proud
SSHS vice principal and acting principal Jesse Tudela told the Variety that the whole student body was very happy and excited to hear about the “very big accomplishment” of the Manta Ray band.
“When I announced the good news to one of the classrooms yesterday, everybody was so happy and proud, and we will be celebrating with the band when they come home,” Tudela said.
He said the group worked so hard to practice their pieces and in raising funds to pay their way to New York.
“I hope that the government and the Public School System will continue to help the Manta Ray Band in their future performances and endeavors both here and off-island,” Tudela said.
He is also encouraging other schools to form their own bands.
The Manta Ray band left Saipan on Saturday morning and is expected to be back on Friday morning.
The band was formed eight years ago and has won gold twice at the Tumon Bay International Music Festival on Guam. Some of its members have also performed at the Sydney Opera House in Australia and with the Official Youth Orchestra of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
Besides Sablan, accompanying the band in New York were SSHS principal Craig Garrison, parents and chaperones, SSHS and Mt. Carmel School alumni now living in New York and former SSHS principal Peter Le’au to whom the Manta Rays dedicated their performance.
On Monday, the Manta Band delighted people as they played at the Central Park.
The World Projects, a company that produces educationally focused music festivals around the world to provide students the opportunity to perform in world-class concert halls and work with renowned music educators, sponsored the Carnegie Hall concert. For more information, visit http://world-projects.com.
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