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JAMESTOWN – This Veterans Day musicians from across Chautauqua County joined forces to celebrate U.S. Service men and women.
Band students from Brocton, Cassadaga Valley, Chautauqua Lake Central, Jamestown Public Schools, Southwestern Central Schools and the SUNY Fredonia School of Music performed “taps” at 11 a.m. from several dozen locations countywide.
This is an extension of “Taps Across Jamestown” an effort launched by Jamestown Middle School Band students last year.
Persell Middle School Band Director Marc Lentsch says this is not just limited to the brass musicians.
“Taps is typically played either on a trumpet, or really on a bugle, but you could play it on any instrument,” explained Lentsch. “We wouldn’t want a student not to be able to participate, to honor our veterans and to really feel this sense of community engagement just because they are not playing the trumpet; so we have everyone from percussionists, to tuba players, to trumpets and flute players.”
The event was inspired by the national “Taps Across America” movement, which was first started during the pandemic as a way to honor service members on Memorial Day.
Lentsch is hopeful that this will help instill in young people a sense of honor and gratitude for the sacrifices of our armed forces.
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