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By SCOTT MIMS | Special to the Reporter

ALABASTER — Live music is one thing that has suffered in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, limiting the public’s ability to enjoy in-person musical performances.

Fortunately, Thompson High School’s bands will get to perform for an audience on Thursday, Feb. 17 as they present a winter concert featuring the THS Concert Band, Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble.

The concert will be held at the THS Performing Arts Center and will begin at 7 p.m. Admission for the event is free.

Graham Bennett, Director of Bands for Thompson High School, said the winter concert will help the students prepare for the upcoming state of Alabama Music Performance Assessment in March.

“It is a concert with the community—the parents, community members, family, friends, administration,” Bennett said. “It’s a wonderful thing because in the past couple of years with COVID-19 protocols, we’ve been unable to host wide performances.”

While a step in the direction of normalcy brings enjoyment to both the students and their audience, it is the experience the performance will provide that is most valuable.

As the bands prepare for their upcoming assessment, the concert affords them the opportunity to hone their performance skills in a live setting while perfecting their articulation, balance and intonation.

“It’s exciting to be able to show off the wonderful talents and abilities our students have worked so hard to master not only this year but the last couple of years,” Bennett said. “Live performance is such a huge part of the activity of the fine arts. Students thrive on support from parents and the community. They’re so excited about this, mostly because they haven’t been able to do it in a while.”

The students will also receive commentary from adjudicators who will be in attendance at Thursday’s concert.