Dhahran’s hills were alive with the sound of music last weekend as the Saudi Arabian Intra-Kingdom Activities Council and the International Schools Group (ISG) Dhahran Elementary/Middle School (DEMS) presented the All Kingdom Middle School Honor Band, Choir and Orchestra Festival 2006. The overall organizers of the Festival were Bruce Hudson, DEMS principal, and Kim Butler, DEMS music teacher. Another DEMS teacher, Deb Monsen, organized the choir portion of the event.

Participating in the festival were about 170 students in Grades 6 through 9 from nine schools across Saudi Arabia — ISG Jubail, ISG Dhahran, Yanbu International School, Dhahran British Grammar School, the American International School-Riyadh, the Saudi Arabian International School of Jeddah and the Saudi Aramco Schools of Dhahran, Abqaiq and Udailiyah.

Getting the festival together is a major production. All the participating schools run full music programs and each school selects a number of students to be a part of the orchestra, band or choir. The music arrives at each school several months in advance and the students learn their parts. When they arrived in Dhahran on Tuesday afternoon before the Thursday, May 11 performance, it was the first opportunity to hear the students as a group. The groups practiced together Tuesday, all day Wednesday and in the morning before the Thursday afternoon concert.

It was a splendid hour and a half show. The pieces performed were challenging but attempts were made to have a good variety of music to please everyone. The Honor Orchestra played arrangements such as Joseph Compello’s “Struttin’ Strings” and Robert Smith’s “To Dance in the Fields of Glory.” The Honor Choir’s songs included Andy Beck’s “Welcome, Spring,” and Irving Berlin’s “Blue Skies.” Strauss’ “Radetzky March” and David Shaffer’s “Stargazer” were popular tunes in the band’s repertoire.

Even before the concert began, the students had felt strong support and encouragement from the community. Students who had made their way to Dhahran from a distance were hosted by local families. And while it had been expected that parents of the students representing Eastern Province schools would come out for the performance, it was quite nice to see that a large group of parents traveled from Riyadh for the concert.

“In the Kingdom we are fortunate that the music programs of the international schools are still given importance, similar to the way it was twenty years ago in the United States,” said music teacher Kim Butler. “Here, music is considered a very important part of the learning process. The international schools have great facilities and are well stocked with instruments and sheet music. Many of the schools are able to offer instruments on loan. For ISG Dhahran, grades 5 through 12, right now we have about 150 instruments with students on loan.”

Butler added that parents, teachers and administrators are very enthusiastic about students’ participation in the music program because it offers them a chance to try something new and hopefully master some new skills. It’s another option too for students to express themselves.

“With the festival, they get the chance to perform and be on stage which grows their confidence,” Butler explained. “It’s a good opportunity for students to learn the importance of team work. I always say that you can’t have a band of 25 individuals. Participants in the band, orchestra or choir have to improve their listening skills and be willing to cooperate for the good of the group. In so many ways this festival helps our students gain skills they will need to be successful adults.”