Avon Middle School Remembers the '70s in Music

Ten years ago, Avon Middle School choral director Thomas Kawiecki began organizing small coffeehouse-style performances to showcase student talent to parents.

The middle school's Coffeehouse has since grown to two evening performances, a morning show for the student body and staff and an excerpted reprise at the Avon Senior Center.

More than 500 parents and family members came to watch Coffeehouse 2011 on Thursday and Friday, featuring more than 20 song and dance renditions of the music of Billy Joel, Carole King, ABBA, Three Dog Knight, Stevie Nicks and Donna Summers, to name a few.

"You never know which experience is going to be the one that has the ability to define their future,” Kawiecki said before the show. “I hope in some small way your child can celebrate the music of their heart in their performance…and that this night will go down in history for them.”

Kawiecki has worked to make Coffeehouse a memorable growth experience for the kids, bringing back '70s music for this year's show. Avon Middle School was founded in 1970 and began celebrating its 40th anniversary in the fall.

"(Tom) has put in hours of work and has quite a gift for getting these kids to come out of their shells,” parent Sue Ollestad said at the show.

Both parents and faculty members were also involved. Parent Fred Lombard spent long hours decorating the risers with bright white lights, and middle school art students, under the leadership of art teacher Nora Goeler, painted props and made icicles, snowflakes, and banners to decorate the stage into a winter wonderland. Other parents volunteered by printing programs, setting up the tables, designing centerpieces and hanging icicles and snowflakes.

Parent Susan Reitano-Davey lent her dancing expertise, choreographing the singers’ movements and helping them with their stage presence. Ruth Lewis, parent and ballet dancer, also helped out with the dance elements of the show.

The middle school’s Arioso Chorus and newly formed a cappella group, Prelude were two of the many performing groups in the show. Prelude, directed by high school student Meghan Stoll, performed a medley of classic songs such as You Light Up My Life, Rock the Boat, Cecilia and Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody.

"I can’t believe how this journey started only three [or more] months ago and how you have transformed from boys and girls to young men and women with such poise and presence,” Stoll said to the students performing. “You should all be so proud of your accomplishments."

The Lizard Lounge, a faculty band Interim Superintendent Jody Goeler founded when he was principal at the middle school, backed the student performances.

"We play to raise money for the PTO, the AEF and the community," Goeler said in an e-mail. "In addition each year we play behind middle school students at the annual Coffee House. On Monday morning, we'll play highlights from the Thursday and Friday night Coffee Houses for the students and school community."

Avon Middle School Principal Marco Famiglietti, accompanied students as the “piano man” for Billy Joel songs, as well as Donald Fantozzi, middle school band and orchestra director, on saxophone. Andrew Brochu, Avon High School chorus director, harmonized on Heaven Knows. Goeler, eighth grade science teachers Jason Cleveland and Scott Rand, eighth grade English teacher Josie Cannella and high school band director Robert Lovendale also participated.

Over sixty middle school students performed We Are Family for the finale, parading through the audience singing and closing with a dance number, emulating the community spirit at Avon Middle School.