The final notes of music fill the room, quickly replaced with the sounds of claps and cheers as the band concludes their final piece. Knowing that tonight would be the final spring concert under Head Band Director Thomas Turpin, the students gave each performance their all.

On Friday, May 10, the Westwood Band hosted its spring concert at the RRISD Raymond Hartfield Performing Arts Center (PAC) to give students the chance to play music from a partially student-constructed setlist.

“[The concert] went great,” trumpet player Adaline Boyd ‘26 said. “I think we performed to the best of our abilities, and I would say we sounded really good as an ensemble and as a performer.”

The performance featured all four ensembles performing pieces from movies like Jurassic Park and Aladdin, as well as concert band pieces like Symphonic Overture by James Barnes.

“The pieces were fun to play, but they were fairly easy,” bass trombone player Nico Ham ‘27 said. “There was a lot of work put into rehearsals, and it paid off in the end.”

The concert would also mark Mr. Turpin’s final concert before his departure from Westwood.

“It’s sad to see [Mr. Turpin] go, but [the band is] glad that he’s getting to experience new opportunities,” bass trombone player Cayden Bauer ‘25 said.

Since it was Mr. Turpin’s last concert, the band invited alumni from Mr. Turpin’s teaching career to play the Alma Mater one final time.

“It makes me so happy to see that people care about all of this, and I thought it was really special that we got to play the Alma Mater one last time for Mr. Turpin,” Ham said.

“Next year’s show theme and music [are] cool,” Bauer said. “I’m really excited [for] where the future is going to take us.”