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Boonton rocks-out with The Morris County Music Academy
On Sunday, Oct. 12, the Morris County Music Academy on Wootton Street presented Boonstock II, the second student rock concert this year. The performance room at the Academy was filled to capacity for this celebration of life, music and most importantly music education.
Three bands plus special guests, rehearsed by Music Director Pat Cerello, performed for more than 125 enthusiastic listeners.
The first “act” was “Profound Sound” (the intermediate ensemble) made up of students who have studied privately for one year, opened the show with the appropriate song, “The Boys Are Back in Town” sung by Jimmy Scrivo of Montville. They chose this one as their opening because of their excitement to be performing once again at the Music Academy’s Boonstock II concert.
Boonstock I was presented this summer on June 29.
Scrivio said, “The two most exciting events of my summer was catching a 40-pound marlin in Florida and performing with the band at the Music Academy’s concert.”
This high level of enthusiasm is echoed by each and every student who performed at the show.
“This level of interest defines the mission and goal of the Morris County Music Academy’s music education experience,” said Cerello. “We are encouraging our students to rehearse, perform and compose by giving them an opportunity to display their accomplishments to their family and friends at our concerts and on youtube.com. This experience is quite a character and confidence builder for our students, aside from being great fun!”
The band closed its part of the show with a rousing rendition of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” that rocked the house.
The locals in this band also include Jimmy Barnes, Zach Haleblian, Dave Perrson and Steve Riedel , all of Boonton Township, plus Zach Conner and Rigel Turdiu of Mountain Lakes.
"Retro Blues" (the advanced ensemble) performed next. These students have studied privately at the Academy for at least two years. The audience could barely contain their appreciation of these accomplished young players as they applauded and shouted encouragement while the students were in the middle of their fine solo’s on guitar, Hammond organ, saxophone and drums.
Vocals were provided by students Dan Metz of Boonton, Dan Mainardi of Boonton Township, Corey Ryzuk and first-time singer Dan Roberts.
A “guitar battle” by Matt Wendler of Mountain Lakes and Roberts brought the house down as they traded licks on the classic BB King’s “Thrill is Gone.” The band closed the show with an amazing display of technical prowess on Santana’s instrumental composition, “Soul Sacrifice,” which featured David Perrson on drums.
Before the headliners came on, the audience heard two original compositions by 15-year-old Sara Cerello of Boonton. She studies voice and piano at the Music Academy. She performed as a soloist, singing and playing piano on her most recent songs called “I’ll Try” and “Someday Morning.”
The headliners, The Baby Boomers Blues Band, made up of the Academy's adult students, closed the show with their fine vocal and instrumental abilities. Amazing vocal talent was provided by Tom DeBiase and Russ Gaugenti of Parsippany and Marie Cote of Boonton. The closing blues "jam,” Willie Dixon’s song covered most popularly by Led Zepplin, “You Shook Me,” featured great (and nasty) slide guitar work by Brad Wendler of Mountain Lakes, while “Tommy D” handled the Robert Plant-like vocals.
Another local member of The Baby Boomers is Michael Rubin of Boonton.
"We rehearsed each band one night a week for 11 weeks," said Pat Cerello.
The resulting show called "Boonstock ll" was the culmination of the hard work and time of all of the students. The concert was recorded and videotaped. The Morris County Music Academy now has its own Music Academy channel on You Tube on the World Wide Web. Excerpts from concert can be watched at www.youtube.com/Musicacademymc
“We want the students to be able to share their joy of performing music with their friends, relatives and loved ones all over the world,” said Pat Cerello.
A wonderful sense of community has developed at the Morris County Music Academy through the power of live music. The Music Academy encourages students to express their love of music through their inclusive curriculum that incorporates lessons in songwriting, theory and private instrument as well as rehearsals, live performances, and recording.
"This new approach to music education that helps us to assist aspiring players, seems to be working," according to the Academy staff. "It's a hands-on and contemporary approach to music education.”
The school prides itself with an all-star teaching staff. This includes some of the finest musicians, educators, performers and recording artists who have played all over the world with artists like Frankie Valli, Bette Midler, Robert Plant and Paul Simon. It also includes a number of college music professors.
The Academy's director has been teaching in the Music and Performing Arts Program at New York University since 1988.
"This is certainly one of the finest teaching groups in the NY Metro area,” said Cerello.
The teachers at the Academy convey their excitement to the students through encouragement and their own personal love of performing music.
The sterile environment of taking a private lesson and practicing at home, given by most music schools, appears to be a thing of the past. The Morris County Music Academy’s commitment to encouraging the joy of playing, sharing and performing music gives new meaning to the music education experience.
For more information regarding registration for classes and ensembles call The Morris County Music Academy at 973-334-0955 or e-mail to: mcmusicacademy@aol.com.
Photo by David Vnencak
The Baby Boomers Blues Band performs during Boonstock II at the Morris County Music Academy.
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