Band and orchestra members learned about college-level music at UMass Amherst through a two hour concert field trip on October 3.

In its fortieth year, Multiband Pops is a fast-paced showcase event which includes performances by many ensembles and was directed by Jeffrey Holmes.

“It’s a good opportunity for the kids to see a college performance, the next level of music beyond high school, and even if they don’t want music to be their major it shows that they have that opportunity to keep music going,” Amy Collins, the Fine and Performing Arts department chair said.

The field trip gave students a different perspective on multiband performances and exposed them to a higher level of music. The band and orchestra students learned about different varieties of music through the performances of the Minuteman marching band, jazz, wind, choral, percussion ensembles, orchestra, dance multiband pop, and more.

“By far this was the best field trip I’ve been on, and I thought it was going to be a normal performance, but it was amazing,” freshman Chloe Hong said.

“The Marching band was the best! It was like you were getting punched in the face, but with good music,” junior Ha Neul On said.

“It was a pretty inspiring performance with all different types of music, which had a lot of different styles,” Collins said.

In the end, Collins hopes that the positive reaction of the trip will lead to a higher attendance next year.

“Music is what feelings sound like,” said UMass student teacher, Melinda Parker, “which says what words can’t say.”