Highlands High School band to perform at Grove City College

The Highlands High School concert band will get a chance to show off its skills Friday at Grove City College.

The band and its director, Matthew Beresik, were invited to perform at Grove City by Andrew Erb, the college’s director of bands, who was impressed after seeing the band perform last year.

“They were very impressive,” Erb said. “They sounded really good.”

Erb, who formerly resided and taught in the Alle-Kiski Valley, has worked with Beresik and is spearheading an initiative to bring alumni back to the college. Beresik is a graduate of Grove City College.

“It’s a pretty exciting opportunity,” Beresik said.

The Highlands band will perform three symphonic dance pieces prior to the college’s regular concert band and wind ensemble band performances on Friday. The event is free and open to the public.

Doors open at 7 p.m. and the concert starts at 7:30 p.m. in the Pew Fine Arts Center/Ketler Auditorium. A reception for all the performers and audience will be held immediately after the concert.

About 80 students will take part in the event. They will have the chance to perform on a bigger stage and talk with college students about their experiences.

Beresik said the band doesn’t usually perform its concert until May, so the pressure is on to perfect its performance early in the year. Members get a chance to practice for about an hour before the concert to get used to being on a different stage.

Beresik said he’s happy the opportunity can bring some recognition to the students and the district.

“They have a positive influence on our community, and it’s going beyond our community,” Beresik said.

This will be the second time a Highlands band has gotten to perform at the college. Beresik said the marching band also participated in the college’s homecoming parade last fall.

“It was a good experience for the kids,” he said. “They were very well received.”

For those who can’t make it to the concert, it will be live-streamed on the college’s website at https://livestream.com/accounts/13431056/events/7321826.