Archive: Arts & Entertainment

The New Roots Rock Band will perform at the Dryden Community Cafe on Friday, March 25th from 7-9pm. The show, which starts at 7:30, is free and open to the public.

With a repertoire that includes songs by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Green Day, The Jackson Five, Evanescence, AC/DC and more, the New Roots Rock Band (NRRB) is not your typical high school ensemble. Students select the music for the group and, under the guidance of Music Director David Ferreira, work tirelessly to learn new songs and rehearse for their public performances. Students learn the ins and outs of performing in a popular music ensemble, including effective arranging and rehearsing, live sound reinforcement, sound checking, booking, promotions, and recording. NRRB incorporates a broad range of musical instruments and student talents in this 16-piece Rock Ensemble, including a cello, baritone sax, and violin.

"The Music Department harnesses passion and gives a voice to our talented students who, in many cases, did not feel engaged by the musical offerings at their district school or wished to expand beyond the traditional school offerings," says Ferreira.  "At New Roots we have created an atmosphere in which students are empowered in their educational experience and invested in the process. It is this aspect of our program that has given rise to the New Roots Rock Band and is what drives our successes."

In addition to the Rock Band, New Roots offers its students Steel Drum Ensemble and a Percussion Ensemble that works in conjunction with the New Roods Dance Ensemble featuring African drumming and dance.  Ferreira, who studied steel drums in Trinidad and Tobago and African drumming in Ghana, is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY.

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