Pine View Middle School is continuing its tradition of bringing the musical arts to the community of Land O’ Lakes, with its eighth annual “Night Under the Stars” music festival.
The school uses the event to showcase its various music programs, to give local performers a musical venue, and to raise money for needed instruments and uniforms.
Pine View Middle Music Director Amarilys Barbosa said the event comes at a crucial time in the school’s history.
“Our school is going through a change,” Barbosa said.
Pine View Middle has begun a quest to become the first school in Pasco County to offer a Middle Years Programme, under the auspices of the International Baccalaureate Organization.
As a result, more students have enrolled in the school’s music programs, creating a shortage of instruments.
(File Photo)
When the band puts on a concert, there’s a good chance it will be borrowing some of the instruments.
The school also could use some more band uniforms.
The upcoming benefit will help address some of those needs, but that’s not the only reason the school puts it on, Barbosa said.
“We could do many different types of fundraisers, and we could be successful. We chose to do this because there is a huge support for the arts in our community, and we want to continue to foster that and get everyone involved,” she said.
The school has a beginning band, intermediate band and advanced band. It also has a chorus, a show choir, a jazz band, a percussion ensemble, a drumline and a color guard.
All of those groups will be performing at the event, which is slated for April 30, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.
Other local groups will be performing, too, Barbosa said.
“It’s not just to showcase us. It’s also to give an opportunity to the local bands to kind of get their name out,” she said. The three acts that will be performing that night are Crossing The Tangent, Eden Shireen and Beyond Chaotic.
“We’re really excited to have them. They’re going to be playing throughout the evening, at 6, 7 and 8 o’clock. They’re going to be the headliners,” Barbosa said.
Parking and admission are free, and food will be available for purchase. There’s also going to be a kids’ zone, which requires a $5 band for entry. The zone will feature bounce houses, slides, an obstacle course and outdoor laser tag.
Additionally, there will be door prizes, and people will be able to make bids on silent auction baskets.
There are about 30 auction baskets, said a volunteer Sue Castellano, who has organized the gift basket effort. “The students and the business community have donated all of the items in the baskets.
“She (Castellano) is my basket queen,” Barbosa said, obviously grateful for Castellano’s efforts.
Those attending will be able to bid on baskets of wide-ranging themes.
There’s a perfume basket, valued at around $250, and there are baskets with sports memorabilia. There’s a grill that people can bid on, too.
“We have something for girls. We have something for boys. We have a family adventure night out. We have a cat basket. We have a dog basket. We even have a baby basket,” Castellano said.
The value of the baskets ranges from around $50 to more than $500, she said.
Besides being a great way to raise money, it also gives the school a chance to show parents what it has to offer.
“If you have young parents that may come out, maybe they have children in elementary school that are starting to move up — it’s going to show them the different types of instruments, the different type of music that’s played and what their children will be able to learn,” Castellano said.
Even if they can’t make it to the event, there are other ways to help, Barbosa said. The school still needs more instruments.
Musicians or former musicians who have instruments to spare are encouraged to donate them to the school, the musical director said. The school needs clarinets, flutes and trumpets.
If the program receives donations of smaller instruments, it can focus on purchasing larger instruments, Barbosa said.
“We’re hoping to be able to buy a couple of more tubas,” she said.
‘Night Under the Stars’ music festival
Where: Land O’ Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Land O’ Lakes
When: April 30, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
What: Performances by Pine View Middle School’s bands, drumline, color guard and choruses, plus appearances by local musical acts. There also will be a silent auction, food available for purchase and a kids’ zone.
How much: Parking and admission are free.
Published April 27, 2016
