“Mount Vernon is an easy sell to prospective students and their families,” Matt Thede said at the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Leader’s breakfast.
And that is very, very true.
As he noted it comes down to the supportive businesses in the uptown, the community, the citizens, the college. All of that in these communities gives people looking at these spaces something to marvel.
Another theme hit on at the community leaders breakfast this week was the spirit of collaboration in this community.
In spring of last year, Cornell College music director Christopher Nakielski and Mount Vernon choir director Thad Wilkins started discussions on a collaborative piece for Cornell musicians and the Mount Vernon Concert Choir.
The result was a joint production of Elaine Hagenberg’s “Illuminare” that was performed Tuesday, Oct. 10, at the Mount Vernon Performing Arts Center at Mount Vernon Schools, a 25-minute, five movement choral piece backed by orchestral music.
Ahead of that collaboration, Mount Vernon students had the opportunity to perform some of their All-State Choir audition pieces.
And that was not the only collaboration for Mount Vernon students that day.
Several of the band members were collaborating at Hwy. 1 Marching Band Classic in Solon, coming together as bands from Solon, Lisbon and Mount Vernon to perform the National Anthem.
One of the things that Scott Weber note has been taught to his students at competitions over the years has been cheering on other bands at the competitions, and at Solon it was no different, with each band praising the others for great performances and the joy all had on that field performing. The Hwy. 1 Marching Band Classic was a day, as Brandon Horman, activities director at Lisbon, said at the school board meeting Wednesday, for members of the community to just enjoy the band music.
“I know when it comes to football games, I’ve got a focus in a lot of different directions,” Horman said. “But that performance was the time I was able to sit and just watch the performance our kids put on, and just be amazed by what they are doing.”
Both Mount Vernon and Lisbon received Division I ratings at the state competitions, and their marching band seasons are winding down.
And collaboration was the buzz again Saturday, at the ribbon cutting for the Mount Vernon Sculpture trail, a collaboration between the City of Mount Vernon, Mount Vernon Parks and Recreation and Mount Vernon Area Arts Council.
Sunny Side – Collaboration was buzzword in community this past week
October 19, 2023
About the Contributor
Nathan Countryman, Editor
Nathan Countryman is the Editor of the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun.