Randall Standridge Visit

Band students across the Canandaigua City School District recently had an incredible two days of learning as they connected with a world renowned, living and breathing composer, Mr. Randall Standridge.

Standridge visited the Canandaigua City School District on May 14 + 15, 2024 and during his time worked with every band across grades four through twelve. Students have been preparing for this visit all school year by rehearsing, practicing, and performing his music. Academy Sophomore Caitlyn Cuthbertson shared that “playing his music is fun! His pieces are diverse, energetic, and engaging. I’m never bored.”

Once a former public school teacher himself, Standridge is known for writing music that is fun to play, never boring, and easy for musicians of all ages to connect with. His pieces tend to be relatable, many of which incorporate titles and topics that inspire performers of all ages with titles such as Santa the Barbarian, Frogs, Ruckus, Afterburn, Dark Ride, and Mechanical Monsters, which are some of his best known works.

In the same way that books have a synopsis written on the jacket, concert band works typically have a description inside the conductor’s score. And while these brief explanations help inspire students and teachers, nothing even comes close to hearing the backstory directly from a composer’s mouth. Canandaigua CSD Lead Music Teacher Greg Kane shared that, “learning about the very moments that ignited Randy’s creativity was really an incredible opportunity for our students and staff. This was deeply emotional at times and obviously very personal to Mr. Standridge. I was moved by the way our students latched onto every word he shared, and then followed up their careful listening with thoughtful questions. I was proud of their performance and their level of engagement with this special guest.” 

With over 200 published works, Standridge is a bit of a “pop icon” in the concert band world and is very well known. This was made evident by the 70+ regional music teachers who came to CA on Tuesday night to spend two hours with Mr. Standridge on the Canandaigua Academy stage. These teachers flocked to CA for a very special reading session. The CCSD Music Department arranged this professional learning opportunity by preparing folders with 25 different Standridge compositions. Throughout the session, Standridge devoted a few careful minutes to sharing stories about each of the pieces before reading the music down. He was quick to explain how each piece could support the teacher's pedagogical curriculum. And at the end of the night, Standridge graciously signed the teacher's personal scores that they brought, shook hands, and took pictures for over 45 minutes after the conclusion of the event!

In addition to the energetic and exciting music that he is known for, Standridge has also written music that is beautifully flowing, sincerely melodic, and deep in meaning and context. In recent years, he has written a series of works that aim to help normalize conversations about mental health. Through a series of compositions that he calls the “unBroken Project,” Standrdige has written pieces titled, unBroken, Choose Joy, (not)Alone, Fragile, and Me(reAffirmation).

Standridge’s time with students was marked by in-depth musical critique, but also with the deliberate sharing of his personal school story as a child growing up in Arkansas. Senior flutist Silas Cooper shared that “hearing his personal story was really special to me, especially where I am right now in my life. His energy and kindness was exactly what I needed right now.” And another senior flutist Matt Scott said that “being conducted by him felt surreal! Having someone who actually made the music that we enjoy every day in band, conducting us in person, was awesome!”

Welcoming Standridge to Canandaigua was a year-long plan in the making that was lead by CMS music teacher and band director, Danae Sciolino. As a result of generous funding by the Canandaigua City School District’s Educational Enrichment Fund, Mr. Standridge’s appearance went from being a dream to a reality.

This visit inspired both teachers and students and the energy couldn’t come at a more perfect time as students and staff have their eyes set on a strong finish to the school year. The Canandaigua CSD Bands will closing out their 2023-2024 academic year with several year end concerts. And you can be sure that Randall Standridge has a spot on everyone’s program!

• May 30 CA Wind Ensemble + Symphonic Band - 7:30pm - CA Auditorium
• June 5 CMS Band Concert: Grades 6-8 - 7:00pm - CMS Auditorium
• June 10 ES Band and Orchestra Concert: Grade 5 - 7:00pm - ES Auditorium

The Canandaigua CSD is proud to offer a comprehensive music education curriculum from grades PK-12. At the start of the 2023-2024 school year, there were 1,377 performance ensemble seats filled with students across band, chorus, and orchestra in grades four through twelve. The school district’s music program is dedicated to creating an accessible and inclusive environment for all students.

Thank you to Randall Standridge for coming to Canandaigua!