Mountain View students stage flash mob for school music

About 50 members of the Mountain View High School band program combined fun with a proud message during their spring break week: They sprung a flash mob musical number at Big Al’s entertainment center in east Vancouver.

Kaitlyn Lee, a junior who leads the flute section of the wind ensemble and plays alto sax in Mountain View’s award-winning Jazz 1 band, transcribed the popular Katy Perry song “Firework.”

She and others from the Mountain View band program, which boasts about 240 students total, convinced their mates to join in a rousing number, captured on video for YouTube.com fame.

The brief performance shortly after noon on Tuesday gave bowlers and arcade patrons an extra treat.

Lee and other musicians have spoken during Evergreen Public Schools budget forums to oppose potential elimination of fifth-grade (beginning) band and orchestra courses.

That’s one district option being floated, as officials ponder how to reduce spending by as much as $24 million next year in response to lower state funding. Students and parents have been outspoken on the importance of music in their scholastic and social success.

The video also went to DoSomething.org’s Battle of the Bands website, where students across the U.S. are taking similar stands to preserve school music programs threatened by budget troubles.