"Swing, swing, swing, swing"

Feet danced,  hearts sang, joy was experienced, and boy did those kids and band members shine!

Mrs. Rebecca Lingenhoel

This past Saturday, ICSB welcomed the Budafok Big Band to campus for a jazz concert that brought students, families, and members of the Diósd community together to fundraise for the preservation of a local statue. The Budafok Big Band transported its audience to the golden age of big band jazz, performing classic hits such as “In the Mood” by Glenn Miller. The program also featured energetic favorites like “Bandstand Boogie,” the instantly recognizable theme from The Pink Panther, and music from The Incredibles, blending timeless swing with familiar cinematic scores.

 

 

The Upper School Ensemble had the opportunity to "Sing, Sing, Sing" several songs alongside the accomplished local jazz group, including the Benny Goodman swing staple, and "Blue Skies" by Irving Berlin.

 

 

Svetlana W. graced the audience with an intimate, quietly confident delivery of "Someone to Watch Over Me," later joined by the entire Upper School Ensemble in the George and Ira Gershwin tune, which was made "timeless" by Ella Fitzgerald's recordings.

 

 

Guest singer, Mrs. Meagan Lingenhoel, left the audience "Feeling Good," with her command of the stage and powerful performance of the Nina Simone classic, written by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse.

 

 

Timothy M. showcased his smooth vocal abilities and strong stage presence in his performance of "Fly Me to the Moon," the iconic song written by Bart Howard, made popular by Frank Sinatra, and skyrocketed into worldwide prominence by astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who played it on cassette during the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969. Fun fact for music lovers: the song was originally written in 3/4 waltz time until Sinatra and Quincy Jones changed it to 4/4 swing, completely shifting its feel into the cultural phenomenon the Budapest Big Band so beautifully flew us back to. 

 

 

The concert successfully raised 552.000 forint toward the renovations of Diósd's historic and beloved statue, strengthening connections between ICSB and the surrounding community. Thank you, Mrs. Lingenhoel, for organizing the event, and to volunteers like Dani L. and Péter Lázár, who helped with the technical setup and ran sound, and to others who welcomed the band and provided on-site support. Thank you to the Budafok Big Band for such a brilliant performance, and guest singer Ms. Meagan Lingenhoel, and the Upper School Ensemble for adding beautiful vocal performances as the cherry on top of a delightful evening. Their efforts made the evening a meaningful celebration of music, collaboration, and community engagement.

 

Fifteen years passed between the first thought of having the Budafok Big Band do a concert here at ICSB and actually getting to hear their amazing music fill our gym.  Seeing our students’ reactions, [from] when we walked into the rehearsal room and they heard these top notch musicians for the first time, to their performance alongside them on Saturday night, made it worth the wait. So thankful!

Mrs. Rebecca Lingenhoel, Music Director