LA MESA, California – It was a hot and sunny day on Thursday, May 8. However, the La Mesa Arts Academy Spring Concert still held its performance in the school’s outdoor amphitheater. The Associated Student Body committee was busy selling cold water and sodas so the audience could brave the unusual May heatwave.
The Jazz Band started the concert early with catchy tunes that got audience members tapping their toes as the young middle schoolers improvised a few solos on the saxophone, electric guitar, drums, and trombone. The talented musicians scatted to the beat as conductor Mario Jativa welcomed the parents and students and joked about the impressive tan he would be getting as he was conducting facing the sun rays.
The Symphonic Orchestra comprised of 7th and 8th graders performed three pieces. One of these pieces was titled Minecraft composed by Daniel Rosenfeld and arranged by Ralph Ford. This piece was from the recent Minecraft movie that is in the theatres and is well-liked by the many tweens and teens. Javita, wiping sweat from his forehead kept the tempo as the students progressed from finger-picking their string instruments to going back to the bow.
Composer Rosenfeld is professionally known as C418 and is a Jewish German musician, composer, and producer. He rose to fame as the original composer and sound designer for the video game Minecraft (2011). His music for the game is considered one of the greatest video game soundtracks composed.
As the song ended, many tweens and teens in the audience yelled “Chicken Jockey,” and all I could say is “if you know, then you know.” If you don’t, the “Chicken Jockey” character is a baby zombie who rides a chicken and whose fierceness belies his size and youth.
Many of the songs picked for the Spring Concert were chosen with the musicians’ interests in mind. Javita also threw in some Beatles songs that parents and grandparents all sang along to and were swaying back and forth. It was apparent how invested Jativa is with these young musicians and how dedicated he is to making music fun and exciting.
Jativa recognized the 8th graders who will be promoted to high school in June and I got a knot in my throat not wanting to believe my teen twins will be acknowledged in next year’s Spring Concert. Seventh grade seemed to just go by with a blink of an eye.
As the sun started to set and a cool welcoming breeze came through, the Jazz Band took it away with some fun improvisations. The students thereby had a chance to show off their incredible talents with on-the-spot solos. Members of the audience made their way to their vehicles as we said goodbye to the end of the school year, but Jativa reminded the students to keep practicing over the summer and to look forward to more exciting pieces to play next year.
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Cailin Acosta is the assistant editor of the San Diego Jewish World.