QPA Holiday Concert

Queens Preparatory Academy is all about community building, and on the evening of Tuesday, December 13,  that’s exactly what they accomplished with the QPA Modern Band.  They  hosted their own concert in the school’s Springfield Gardens’ auditorium.  The band, led by music teacher, director and performer Mr. Benson, delivered an amazing performance that left their audience starstruck. 

The Concert’s theme was seasonal changes. According to Mr. Benson, they had the idea of putting together songs that correlate with the passing fall. From Halloween, through Thanksgiving and Christmas, the concert guided the audience through the school’s history and events with the musical selections.

After four  months of rigorous practicing, they presented songs like Rebel Just For Kicks which is recognized as the “Theme song of Queens Preparatory Academy” since, according to Mr. Benson, “it seems to always work no matter what.” They included several songs they perfected like Ghostbusters for Halloween, and Jingle Bells commonly associated with Christmas, which, according to Mr. Benson, is actually a Thanksgiving song. They also played Decked the Halls and a Feliz Navidad remix for Christmas.

The QPA Modern Band

In a world dominated by innovation and technology, it’s not surprising that students playing in the band are mainly using electronic instruments like electric guitars, keyboards, and bass players. However, while they may use these modern tools, they don’t entirely forget what traditional music sounds like with the use of drums and the occasional saxophone.

A Collaborative Effort 

Mr. Benson expressed that he liked how “everybody was there and worked together” since students from every grade level played a part in the collaborative presentation.

Parent coordinator Ms. Hooper describes it as “nice and smooth,”  not too loud or low, nor  overpowering. The production also provided insights about the history of the songs, which was informative for the audience. The best part of the presentation was the finale, QPA’s theme song Rebel Just for Kicks  that sent chills down everyone’s spines. Members of the audience expressed feelings of nostalgia and joy with the closing that was hailed as the ceremony’s high point.

Where the performers were concerned, one musician who was performing for the first time admits he was relieved that his experience playing in the band wasn’t as nerve wracking as he imagined. There weren’t many people in attendance, but it didn’t stop them from giving it their all. He was happy that the longer they played, the more audience support they received, which also added to the fun.  

Joining the Band

Students interested in joining the band will have to spend the time and effort learning to  play an instrument and the  assigned selections. Mr Benson is “looking for people with integrity, perseverance and grit” to join the ranks. This doesn’t mean the band is elite. It just means that putting time and effort into the process would be viewed as a qualifying attitude.

Mr. Benson highlights the benefits of a career in music, since through music he’s traveled extensively and  seen a lot of the world. A musical career provided him with many opportunities and he’d like students to have the same experiences.  He’s actually considering  the possibility of the band taking trips, either during the day or after school. They “will not just play, but perhaps see some sort of performance,” he said.

Room for Growth

On the other hand, where the concert is concerned, there’s definitely room for improvement. The audience was smaller than expected,  as the concert wasn’t well advertised. There were also some mishaps with technology, since on occasion the speakers couldn’t capture the sounds of the keyboard and other instruments. Mic problems also occurred that prevented the audience from hearing all the selections clearly.

Even so, while there may have been challenges along the way, the band put on a wonderful performance. And the good news is, they will be hosting more concerts in the future.