The Northeast Instrumental Music Festival (NEIMF) is an annual band festival dating back to 1969. This festival brings together musicians of all ages, from a variety of professional careers and pursuits, supporting the idea that performing music should be a lifelong experience.
Student musicians are selected based on teacher recommendation and their performance level either at NYSSMA or in their school music programs. Once accepted, students receive brief snippets of music that they work on with their band teachers to audition for their placements upon arriving at the festival on Thursday afternoon. Then, after a dinner break, they sight read and begin working on their concert program. Friday is a full day of rehearsals both as a full ensemble and in sectionals where they work with a specialist on their parts. Saturday is another full rehearsal day and then there is a chance for the students to listen to the Great American Community Band rehearsal and ask questions of the adults and conductor. After the adult band rehearsal, students have the opportunity to socialize and mingle while they enjoy a pizza party to celebrate the weekend’s achievements. Sunday morning brings the students together one more time for their dress rehearsal and the day culminates in a concert that features the All Star Student Band as well as the Great American Community Band made up of adults from all around the country.
This year we were fortunate enough to have nine students accepted into the band: Alyssa Crossman (flute and piccolo), Kendra VanHorne (clarinet), MJ Sprague (alto sax), Sydney Crombach (tenor sax), Ashton Tokarski (trumpet), Amelia Muravski (trombone), David Eddy (trombone), Jaelyn Cutright (percussion) and Cameron Wiseman (percussion). Our students received many compliments about their preparation, attitude and behavior during the whole festival and truly made Mrs. Crombach and our school proud. Mrs. Crombach, a member of the student band during her high school years, also had the opportunity to perform with the Great American Community Band (alongside one of her former music teachers) this weekend as well, bringing this immersive band experience full circle for her and her students.
