Grayslake Central band tried to fire up grade-school students

Grayslake Central High School's band played a variety of Beatles songs today as part of a recruitment tool targeted at elementary-age children.

About 280 students who might enroll in band and chorus programs at Grayslake Elementary District 46's new Park School in Round Lake were the target audience.

Park School band director Megan Ames said she hopes the younger children will have an increased interest in playing an instrument after seeing this morning's up-close performance by the Marching Rams.

Grayslake Central band director Dominic Bertino said he was confident the teenagers would be a positive influence on the grade school students.

"They see the end result of what being in band can be," Bertino said.

Band was among the program cuts made in past years at District 46. Music programs were reinstated at District 46 this year.

Park School, a kindergarten through eighth-grade building, is forming its first band this week. Park is a feeder school for Grayslake Central.

Grayslake Central's band today played about 20 minutes' worth of Beatles songs. Some band members gave brief demonstrations of their instruments.

See more about the Grayslake Central band visit to Park School in Wednesday's Daily Herald.