Harrison Central band celebrates music and community with showcase and concert weekend

The Harrison Central Band provided a full weekend of entertainment beginning with Friday night’s halftime show on Oct. 24. On Saturday Oct. 25, the band hosted and performed during the afternoon at the OVAC Band Showcase, followed by the 2025 Fall Concert Sunday evening.

Under sunny skies Saturday, Harrison Central welcomed 12 bands to Wagner Field for the OVAC Band Showcase. Participating schools included Clay-Battelle, Buckeye Local, Toronto, Shadyside, Martins Ferry, Valley, Weir, Cameron, Bridgeport, Barnesville, Bellaire and Brooke. Performances featured a wide variety of music, along with tap dancing, rifle twirling and guitar playing. Concessions, raffles and “Air Grams” were offered, and awards were presented at the end of the day.

On Sunday, the Harrison Central Band and Choir presented their Fall Concert in the high school auditorium under the direction of Angela and Eric Zalenski, with Emily Gray accompanying the choir.

The Bel Canto Choir opened with “Hamilton Men” by Lin-Manuel Miranda, featuring soloists Jonathan Wissman as Thomas Jefferson, Aiden Pettit as Aaron Burr and Skyler McFarland as George Washington. They followed with “Gee, Officer Krupke” from “West Side Story” by Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein, with soloists Sam Siragusano as Riff, Aiden Pettit as the judge, Jude Wissman as the psychiatrist, Skyler McFarland as the social worker, and Corey Feezel and Wyland Blake as Jets.

The Stage Band performed “Celebration” by Bell, Smith, Brown, Taylor, Mickens, Toon, Thomas, Bell and Deodato, and “Hawaii Five-O” by Mort Stevens.

The Bella Voce Choir followed with “Both Sides Now” by Joni Mitchell and “Hamilton Women” by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Soloists were Leah Rapp as Angelica, Katelynne Cumings as Angelica, Ashlynne Corder as Eliza and Lila Kupsky as Eliza.

The Marching Band, led by Field Commander Leah Rapp, performed “Drag Me Down” by One Direction and “I Will Wait” by Mumford and Sons, featuring color guard soloists Shaylen Bethel and Grace Bardall. The performance continued with “Victorious” by Panic! at the Disco, featuring soloist Harley Hamric, and concluded with “Locked Out of Heaven” by Bruno Mars.

Rounding out the evening, the band performed “Medley from Les Miserables” with words by Alain Boublil, Jean-Marc Natel and Herbert Kretzmer and music by Claude-Michel Schonberg. Soloists included Kara Bowman as Fantine, Sam Siragusano as Enjolras, Skyler McFarland as Grantaire, Zayden Losh as Marius, Kyra Drewett as Eponine, Wyland Blake as Jean Valjean and Lila Kupsky as Cosette.