When students enroll in the stage band class at Wilson Middle School, they sign up to play in the only rock band of its size in Glendale schools — one that is more than 30 students strong.
On Thursday morning, the 35-member band performed before hundreds of elementary school students as part of a lineup of musical acts in the daytime performance of the 40th annual “Unconcert” hosted at Glendale High School, where Glendale High students sing solos, duets or as a choir.
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This marked the first year that Wilson’s stage band was incorporated into the show.
One of the band’s members is 14-year-old Akili Ligons.
“It’s sort of like a stress relief class, except through music, so it’s a lot of fun,” he said of the band.
On Thursday, Akili played the keyboard during the band’s rendition of Alabama Shakes’ “Gimme All Your Love.” He also sings in the band and plays bass guitar and percussion.
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Wilson Middle School 8th grade music students Vince Hiliham, left, and Kyanna Bartolome rock away with 32 other classmates at the Unconcert ’16 assembly at Glendale High School’s John Wayne Performing Arts Center in Glendale on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016. The Unconcert ’16 included more than a dozen musical acts performed by Glendale High School students. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Wilson Middle School music students David Lee, left, and Lucas Rodriguez, right, were part of a 34-member rock band that played at the Unconcert ’16 assembly at Glendale High School’s John Wayne Performing Arts Center in Glendale on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016. The Unconcert ’16 included more than a dozen musical acts performed by Glendale High School students. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Wilson Middle School music students rocked away at the Unconcert ’16 assembly at Glendale High School’s John Wayne Performing Arts Center in Glendale on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016. The Unconcert ’16 included more than a dozen musical acts performed by Glendale High School students. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Wilson Middle School music students rock away at the Unconcert ’16 assembly at Glendale High School’s John Wayne Performing Arts Center in Glendale on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016. The Unconcert ’16 included more than a dozen musical acts performed by Glendale High School students. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Glendale High School students perform at the Unconcert ’16 assembly at GHS’s John Wayne Performing Arts Center in Glendale on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016. The Unconcert ’16 included more than a dozen musical acts performed by GHS students. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Glendale High School senior Andrea Velesquez, center, sings along at the Unconcert ’16 assembly at GHS’s John Wayne Performing Arts Center in Glendale on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016. The Unconcert ’16 included more than a dozen musical acts performed by GHS students. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Glendale High School freshman Jazmine Ramos sings at the Unconcert ’16 assembly at GHS’s John Wayne Performing Arts Center in Glendale on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016. The Unconcert ’16 included more than a dozen musical acts performed by GHS students. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Glendale High School junior Kaylie Becerra played the ukulele and sang a song at the Unconcert ’16 assembly at GHS’s John Wayne Performing Arts Center in Glendale on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016. The Unconcert ’16 included more than a dozen musical acts performed by GHS students. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Glendale High School junior Amanda Thlick sings at the Unconcert ’16 assembly at GHS’s John Wayne Performing Arts Center in Glendale on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016. The Unconcert ’16 included more than a dozen musical acts performed by GHS students. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Glendale High School senior Isabella Caballero sings along at the Unconcert ’16 assembly at GHS’s John Wayne Performing Arts Center in Glendale on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016. The Unconcert ’16 included more than a dozen musical acts performed by GHS students. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Glendale High School senior Andrea Velesquez sings ‘Dont You Remember’ at the Unconcert ’16 assembly at GHS’s John Wayne Performing Arts Center in Glendale on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016. The Unconcert ’16 included more than a dozen musical acts performed by GHS students. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Glendale High School senior Brian Gutierrez sings “Sabor A Mi” in Spanish at the Unconcert ’16 assembly at GHS’s John Wayne Performing Arts Center in Glendale on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016. The Unconcert ’16 included more than a dozen musical acts performed by GHS students. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
Later Thursday evening, the band planned to perform Beyoncé’s “Halo.”
Fellow 14-year-old Nayra Gharpetian joined the band this year, eager to perform the rock and pop music she loves.
“I think we’ve really gotten comfortable performing together, more comfortable than we were in the beginning of the year,” Nayra said. “We’ve just grown as friends.”
The class focuses on the last 50 years of music, Wilson music teacher John Andrews said, as opposed to the last 500 years, which can be a more traditional focus in schools.
At any given time, there are about 25 students who play acoustic, bass or electric guitar, while the remaining students play the drums, piano or keyboard. Two students play the ukulele.
Once they learn a song, they play it over and over, Andrews said, and they’ve played music of the rock bands Green Day, Florence and the Machine, One Direction and Muse.
“This is a good age because they’re into that music,” he said. “It’s the music that they love. For some of those kids, taking this class is their niche. This is the place they really can express themselves. It’s unreal when you see young kids really playing and rocking out on stuff.”
His class has received some help from Little Kids Rock, a New Jersey-based nonprofit that has donated instruments and trained Andrews in music education.
The popularity of the Wilson stage band class, now only in its second year, is growing.
“This year all the girls from choir who play piano wanted to join,” Andrews said.
After the band’s performance Thursday morning, they joined Glendale High students to finish the show with a vocal performance of “Uptown Funk.”
Then Glendale High’s vocal music director, Grace Sheldon-Williams, asked Andrews if there was anything he wanted to tell the hundreds of elementary students who applauded for their older counterparts.
“Take choir, or take stage band, or take any musical instrument, please,” he said.
The final public evening performance of Glendale High’s 40th annual “Unconcert,” featuring Glendale High School students, and Wilson Middle School’s stage band, will take place at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 12, at Glendale High, 1440 E. Broadway. Admission is $12.
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Kelly Corrigan, kelly.corrigan@latimes.com
Twitter: @kellymcorrigan
