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Entertainment, Front/Home, Reviews

‘This is America’ Song Review

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By Lauren Rayman

    Donald Glover, also known as Childish Gambino, released a new song on May 5, 2018, the same day he hosted Saturday Night Live.

    Gambino’s new song, “This is America,” was released with a music video. In just over a week, the video has already scored 109 million views on YouTube.

    Many people have posted the music video itself and clips from it on Twitter. “Childish Gambino,” “This is America” and “Donald Glover” have all trended on Twitter in the time since the song has been out.

    Although many people have been raving about the song and hyping it up, many other people have been hating on it.

    Memes, parodies, remixes, medlies, covers and mashups of “This is America” have also surfaced the internet in the short time the song has been out.

    Many artists have been releasing new songs and albums recently, and some have not been that great. Unlike some of these songs, Gambino’s “This is America” is actually good.

    The song has many different aspects to it. The beginning vocals of the song seamlessly transition into a different beat, and continue to do so throughout the song.

    This gives the song depth and keeps listeners interested. The lyrics of the song are also very well written and thought out.

    Young Thug, Slim Jxmmi, BlocBoy JB, 21 Savage and Quavo are all featured in the background vocals of the song.

    Since Gambino has not released new music since 2016, his new song grabbed many music lovers’ attention. Gambino did not disappoint with his release of “This is America.”

    Overall out of five I would easily give this song five stars. I would highly recommend this song to anyone who likes Childish Gambino and similar artists’ music.

Front/Home, News

An American Celebration Concert

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By H. Suzie Lee

    Wind Ensemble, the high school band, performed a patriotic concert called ‘A Salute to Broadway’ with the choirs as well on May 5, at 7 p.m.

    Starting with ‘Star Spangled Banner’ by Francis Scott Key, the Color Guard from Boy Scout Troop 273 held the flag during the piece. Also, the choir sang the lyrics with the band.

     The concert continued with many selections of broadway songs such as ‘Give My Regards to Broadway from Little Johnny Jones’ by George M. Cohan, ‘Highlights from Phantom of the Opera’ by Andrew Lloyd Webber and ‘Mambo from West Side of Story’ by Leonard Bernstein featuring trumpet soloist Nick Lavy, class of 2018.

     Next pieces were ‘Somewhere’ featuring trumpet soloist Kendall Miragliotta, class of 2018, 76 Trombones from The Music Man by Meredith Willson, ‘I Dreamed A Dream from Les Miserables’ arranged by Michael Brown featuring vocal soloist Anne Marie McCombs, class of 2018, and ‘Highlights from Wicked’ by Julie Davalia.

     With SMFHS Vocal Jazz, the Jazz 1 band performed Jazz piece ‘Lullaby of Broadway’ by Luther Henderson. Vocal Jazz is a jazz choir team including Will Bender, Nick Ely, Anne Marie McCombs, Randi Mohr, Johnny Oliver, Emma Razor, Danny Schneider and Hanna Shull.

    After an uplifting Jazz piece, the Concert Choir sang ‘Being Alive from Company’ by Stephen Sondheim.    

    Within the narration of Tom Stephan, former teacher of the high school, ‘Ask Not’ was performed.

    Two more piece were performed with the Concert Choir: ‘An American Tribute’ by Douglas E. Wagner, ‘Salute to America’s Finest’ arranged by Paul Lavender.

    Also, the concert honored those who have served or are currently serving the country.

    Finally, the American Celebration concert ended with John Philip Sousa’s ‘Stars and Stripes Forever’ with the Concert Choir.

    Auditorium was filled with many people from the community in Stow and has earned positive feedback as well.

    Next upcoming concerts are the Spring Choir Concert on May 12, the Band Spring Concert on May 14 and the Band & Choir Memorial Day performance on May 28 at the Stow Cemetery.

 

    

 

    

 

     

 

Community, Front/Home, News

Doggie Dash runs this Saturday

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     By Madison Gash

     Student Council is presenting the Dog Show and first annual Doggie Dash on May 12 at 10 a.m. and all ages and dogs are wanted and welcome to join the fun.

    The registration ends on May 10th and you can pay the 10 dollars the day of the event. The Doggie Dash consists of an easy one-mile course around Stow-Munroe Falls High School field while the Dog Show is hosting a series of four events that include a obstacle course, an ugly but cute contest and costume contest and a best trick competition.

    There is a specific set of rules that need to be obtained in order for a dog to be able to compete in the dog show. These rules indicate the dog needs to be potty trained, the owners need to clean up after their dog, the dog must be on a leash at all times, they must be vaccinated and if the dog has any history of violence they are not permitted to enter.

    Violation of any of these rules will result in the dog being disqualified from the competition and Doggie Dash. The prizes for the winners are unknown at this time and are still being decided by Student Council, but it will be determined soon. Studco representatives are excited to start this new event and hope it goes will so there can be more dog-related events in the future.

 

Community, Front/Home

‘Jazz Meets Symphony’ concert has many fans in awe

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By H. Suzie Lee

The Cleveland Jazz Orchestra and Akron Symphony Orchestra orchestrated Orchestral Jazz together in EJ Thomas Hall for the concert ‘Jazz Meets Symphony.’

    Jazz Meets Symphony concert was performed on April 14, 2018.

    Christopher Wilkins was the conductor of the concert and Paul Ferguson, also known as trombonist, was the Artistic Director of the concert.

    Sam Sandman, the school’s band director, also performed at concert playing Bari Saxophone from Cleveland Jazz Orchestra.

    The concert’s first tune was Artistry in Rhythm by Paul Ferguson including piano solo by Theron Brown.

    Beautiful yet mysterious jazz piano opened up the concert creating a silent atmosphere; however, the mood quickly changed with classical jazz rhythms.

     Next was Eine Kleine Nachtmusik by Wolfgang Amade Mozart arranged by Ferguson. The piece started out as the classical, famous melody of Mozart and suddenly the whole vibe changes to Jazz.

     String instruments were playing the famous melody and jazz instruments took over the whole piece in a different vibe; the piece went back and forth between Mozart’s classical melody and modern Jazz style.

     Eine Kleine Nachtmusik piece was a perfect example of how beautifully Jazz and symphony can blend in together.

     Third piece of the concert was La Vie en Rose by Edith Piaf arranged by Ferguson featuring Jack Schantz on flugelhorn.

     While La Vie en Rose is cult-favorite, classic piece in jazz industry performed by Louis Armstrong and often gives more bright and swingy feeling, Jack Schantz’s flugelhorn solo was so mellow and beautiful that the audience experienced chills and melancholy emotion.

    The concert continued performing in the following order: Astieri by Paul Ferguson, The song is you by Jerome Kern/Oscar Hammerstein II arranged by Ferguson, I’ve Got the World on a String by Harold Arlen/Ted Koehler, and Gershwin Medley by George & Ira Gershwin featuring Evelyn Wright, vocalist, Glenn Miller Medley by Ferguson.

      After ten minutes of Intermission the concert performed pieces such as Three Pieces for Blues Band and Orchestra: 3rd movement by William Russo, Rays of light by Paul Ferguson, Dorsey Medley by Tommy Dorsey, Stardust by Hoagy Carmichael arranged by Ferguson with clarinet solo by Tom Reed, Just One of Those Things by Cole Porter, But Beautiful by Jimmy Van Heusen/Johnny Burke arranged by Ferguson featuring Evelyn Wright, vocalist, and ended the concert with Ellington Medley arranged by Paul Ferguson.

      At the end of the concert, the audience were overwhelmed with the passion and energy that they received from the performers. They did not stop clapping and resulted in two encores from the vocalist Evelyn Wright.

    ‘Jazz Meets Symphony’ was truly an incredible, exceptional concert that will be remembered in many people’s memories.