The Singing Superintendents kicked off the 3rd General Session of AASA’s national conference Saturday morning on a patriotic note, beginning with “The Star-Spangled Banner” as a digital flag waved in the background.
During the 15-minute concert performance on stage, a rich blend of soprano, alto, base and tenor voices – 18 superintendents in all — showcased songs such as native Tennessean’s Ernie Ford’s “Sixteen Tons.” The females sang the medley and the men provided the ‘ba da doo, ba da doo’ rhythm.
The Singing Superintendents also performed two medleys — Forever Country and Rock ‘n’ Roll — elevating the energy of the room. Songs in the country medley included “Take Me Home, Country Roads” and “On the Road Again.” The program ended with the rock ‘n’ roll medley, where audience members were encouraged to join in. Numbers included “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” and “Old Time Rock ‘n’ Roll.”
The superintendents rehearsed for this show in just three days under the direction of David Cox, superintendent in Alleghany County, Md. The accompanist was Barry Furze, a retired superintendent.
“Music and arts education are important in our public schools,” said Cox. “Music provides rich experiences that connects to all disciplines.”
Cox issued a public call for all interested conference participants to joining the Singing Superintendents for next year’s performance in Los Angeles.
(Rebecca Shaw is a reporter for Conference Daily Online.)