Symphony Serenades Winning Class Essays

Hanover concert highlights 10 students' writing

Hanover Township, Sunday, February 27, 2011

Written by AARON MORRISON

Click Here for Photos from the Concert

Ten northern New Jersey students received more than just an "A" on class essays about their personal heroes Sunday.

The Hanover Wind Symphony used the students' words as inspiration for a free concert, during which each essay was followed by a musical selection before a packed auditorium at Memorial Junior School in Whippany. The students are from school districts in Morris and Passaic counties.

"The kids' stories are amazing," said Hanover Wind Symphony musical director Matthew Paterno of Parsippany. "They're reading essays about their heroes, and you realize that someday somebody is going to be writing an essay about one of them."

The 65-member wind ensemble played a unusual soundtrack for all student participants, including 5-year-old kindergartner Allison Paterno, Matthew's daughter, who read an essay about heroic firefighters and their four-legged companions.

"I really like Sparky the fire dog. He's a Dalmatian," read Allison, dressed in a Dalmatian costume. "I love all his spots."

Her dad stood in as conductor for "The Midnight Fire Alarm," composed by Harry Lincoln in 1900. The piece is up-tempo and features a fire engine whistle.

Symphony associate director Kurt Zimmerman of Rockaway helped Matthew select musical pieces that captured the essence of each student essay.

"Over the last few years, we've had very successful children's concerts, so this time we thought we'd put a different spin on it," Zimmerman said. "Instead of just doing (pieces) that they might like, we'll do pieces that they are inspired by."

The students' heroes included a history-making baseball legend, an older sibling, grandparents and military servicemen and servicewomen.

"(Jackie Robinson) is my hero because he was the first African-American to play baseball, and without him many people would not be playing baseball right now," Jake Scrudato, 12, of Ringwood read.

Accompanying Scrudato's essay was "With Quiet Courage," composed in 1995 by Larry Deahn.

Whippany resident Anthony D'Angelo, a Salem Drive School second-grader, read about his hero, WWE wrestling superstar John Cena, whom D'Angelo admires because of his work with the Make A Wish Foundation.

The essay was accompanied by "Entry of the Gladiators," written in 1897 by Czech composer Julius Fucik.

The 10 essays were chosen from many by a committee of wind symphony members. The students were asked to write the essays by their teachers.

Aaron Morrison: 973-428-6633; amorrison@njpressmedia.com