Ledyard and Gales Ferry band students from grades 5-12 joined forces on March 12 for a day of musical clinics and performances as part of the 2020 Festival of Bands. Organized by Zach Thomas, director of instrumental music at Ledyard High School, with elementary band teacher Emily Renski and middle school band director Brian Sturm, the festival featured performances by the Grade 5 Honor Band, made of students from Juliet W. Long and Gallup Hill schools, the LMS Grade 7/8 Band, and the LHS Symphonic Band.

The middle and high school bands came together for a joint performance of Roland Barrett’s “Arabian Dances,” and the combined ensemble was so big that Thomas had to conduct from the drum major’s podium, placed off the stage near the first row of seats in the auditorium.

The concert also included a preview of “H2OnFire,” the LHS Marching Band’s 2020 season production. An evening show for the public was cancelled due to coronavirus-related restrictions on public gatherings, but recordings of the festival are available at ledyardmusic.com.