East Meadow children’s concert is 'just right'

W.T. Clarke High School hosted the second annual East Meadow Children’s Concert on Feb. 9 and 350 members of the community came out for the event, whose theme this year was “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.”

The Children’s Concert gives the district’s young students a chance to see the district’s arts and music programs in which they could participate when they are older. The theme echoes the book Kindergarten students throughout the district are reading in their Enrichment Through the Arts classes.

The audience read along as “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” was projected on a large screen above the stage in the Clarke auditorium.

Frank Lukasik, director of literacy for the district, narrated the story while students from W.T. Clarke High School’s Drama Club portrayed the tale. Performances by the select chorale, wind ensemble and chamber orchestra were intertwined throughout the story.

Children in the audience were invited to come up and sing folk songs along with the select chorale during a portion of the concert.

After the concert, the W.T. Clarke Middle School Junior Tri-M Music Honor Society held an instrument “petting zoo.” Children were able to visit brass, woodwind, percussion and string stations to familiarize themselves with the instruments. Additionally, select artwork from kindergarten students was also on display in the lobby.

Organizing the event was Jessica Shenker, chairperson of music at W.T. Clarke middle and high school. “Music has always been one of the pillars of our community, and through this concert, music is viewed as another form of literacy,” she said. “The goal of this concert is to inspire our entire community to be patrons of the arts, appreciators of music, and to encourage children to be involved in our music program as they continue through elementary, middle and high school.”

—Brian Stieglitz