Since 1999, Tracy High’s band has been a part of the All City Tracy Honor Performance. Two years ago, the choir and orchestra classes were added to the show.

The shows will be held at the Grand Theatre on Saturday, Jan. 24, at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are $10, can be bought online at www.atthegrand.org or can be purchased at the door the day of the performance.

“We are very excited to announce that we are including a jazz group in the show,” District Visual and Performing Arts Chair and Tracy High’s Piano and Orchestra teacher Tom Renner said.

There are many All City performances around the state, but Tracy is the only city to have middle school students perform with the high school students from choir, band, orchestra, and jazz. All of the Jefferson District schools and Tracy Unified School District schools are participating in the show.

Over 200 students were selected by their teachers to perform. The grades range from 7th to 12th grade, but the juniors and seniors have more of a role as a peer mentor/teacher assistant. It gives students an opportunity to be a leader.

Since this is choir and orchestra’s second year performing, more students look forward and hope to be selected to perform at this show.

“I performed with the orchestra last year, so I’m very excited to have been selected to perform again this year,” sophomore violinist Oscar Saucedo said.

“Ever since I received the music, I have been working hard to prepare for this performance,” Madrigals tenor choir student Calei Akers said.

“We feel that it’s very important to build that bridge between middle school and high school students,” Grover said. “The only way to help the middle school students transition into high school is interaction and experience.”

She also feels strongly that this show will give the music department the attention it deserves.

“This performance will show the community what a great deal music is to not only us teachers, but to the students as well,” Grover said.

This is the first year that there will be guest conductors for each group. Matt Netto, former Tracy High choir teacher, will be conducting choir; Dr. Jesse Levy, from Kent State University, will take over band; Tom Derthick, from Central Valley Youth Symphony, will be conducting the orchestra; and Dave Eschelman, from CSU East Bay, will conduct the jazz portion.

“The whole idea of having this performance is to ultimately encourage the middle school students to continue in music when they transition into high school,” Grover said.

Rehearsals start this weekend, and after that, there are three more rehearsals during the week until the performance. Even though the students are being given little time for this major performance, the teachers believe in the students that they selected will pick up the music fast and execute it successfully.