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Girl twirling a flag with marching band.
Brentwood’s Summer Music Program Hits a High Note with Record Participation

In between the district’s summer music program performances last week, music teachers dashed around the South Middle School auditorium carrying music stands, chairs and armfuls of however many instruments they could safely hold. Resetting the stage is a team effort, as student performers shuffled in and out of the spotlight, waving and smiling at family and friends in the audience.

Kicking off the celebration was Brentwood’s infamous Green Machine with a thunderous performance. It was the perfect warm-up for the rest of the show, and members of the school’s renowned marching band stayed to support their fellow summer musicians in the auditorium – cheers and hollers of encouragement bouncing off the ceiling. It was a powerful and moving showcase of Brentwood’s arts community that gave students and families top tier entertainment and a place of belonging.

“I’m so grateful to our incredible educators for their guidance and inspiration, and to our Board of Education for their vision and support,” said Superintendent Wanda Ortiz-Rivera. “I was overwhelmed with pride watching our students perform; their talent brought tears to my eyes and made me smile all at once. A huge thank you to their families and to our amazing Performing and Fine Arts Department for creating something so powerful and beautiful. What a beautiful reminder of what happens when we nurture talent and lead with love.”

Brentwood’s Performing and Fine Arts department has seen exciting growth in recent years. New this summer, the four-week program was available to rising sixth graders to mirror the new sixth-grade instructional program during the school day. Nearly 300 students between grades 6-12 participated this summer in one of the following areas – band, orchestra, musical theater and art. The Green Machine has seen enrollment figures rise, too, now boasting a group of 120 talented musicians – up from just 76 in 2021. Another new addition this summer was an art class that culminated with a multimedia art show for middle-schoolers.

The summer program’s finale was more than just a concert – it was a celebration of creativity, collaboration and community. With each performance and piece of art, Brentwood’s young artists proved that the future of the district’s arts scene is as vibrant as ever.

A person in a gray shirt stands with arms outstretched against a dark background.
A group of musicians, including a person playing the flute, performing on stage with a dark background and curtains.
A group of performers on a dimly lit stage, surrounded by colorful smoke and dramatic lighting, creating an immersive and visually striking performance.
A group of dancers in colorful costumes perform on a dimly lit stage, with curtains and lighting creating a dramatic atmosphere.
A group of musicians, including saxophonists, performing on a stage in a dimly lit room with colorful lighting and a person visible in the background.
A group of musicians, including saxophonists and other instrumentalists, performing on stage in a dimly lit setting.
A group of musicians, dressed in black, are performing on stage, with one person playing a saxophone in the foreground.
A woman with curly hair playing a trombone on stage, surrounded by other musicians in the background.
The image shows a group of people on a stage, with a woman in a colorful dress standing in the center, surrounded by several other individuals in various outfits.
A group of musicians performing on stage, with various instruments such as guitars, violins, and drums visible in the foreground, and a dimly lit auditorium or performance space in the background.
The image shows a group of young women performing on a stage, with one woman singing into a microphone while the others stand behind her.
A young woman in a black outfit is intently playing an acoustic guitar on a stage with a dark curtain backdrop.
A group of musicians performing on stage, with various musical instruments such as drums, brass instruments, and other equipment visible in the foreground and background.
A group of musicians, primarily playing saxophones and trombones, are performing on a stage with a dark curtain backdrop.
A group of young musicians, including a violinist, performing on stage with musical instruments and a black curtain backdrop.
A young person wearing a formal black suit and bowtie stands in front of a stage with chairs in the background.
A person in a white tank top holding a long wooden pole stands in a large indoor space with windows and other people visible in the background.
A group of people in white shirts holding brass instruments, with a basketball hoop visible in the background.
A group of students, dressed in white shirts, are gathered in a classroom setting, with one student playing a xylophone in the foreground.
A performance by a large orchestra on a stage, with musicians playing various instruments and an audience seated in the foreground.
A group of violinists performing on stage in a concert setting.