The event will include performances by the A Cappella Choir and Mixed Chorus, under the direction of Lauren Scharf, and the Concert and Symphonic bands, under the direction of Meghan Murray. The performance will also include a combined performance and world premiere of “Eternal,” a commissioned work by internationally known composer and arranger Jacob Narverud, written in celebration of the ensembles’ centennial anniversary.

Local media personality Dennis Webster will serve as master of ceremonies and the JHS band will be joined by 2009 graduate Technical Sgt. Erik Lundquist, who will perform a solo with the ensemble. Technical Sgt. Lundquist is a euphoniumist with the Ceremonial Brass, The United States Air Force Band, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C. A native of Jamestown, he joined the Air Force in 2016.

In addition, a documentary on the ensembles’ history and legacy over the past 100 years, produced by Salty Doubloon Productions and 2015 JHS graduate Brayton Lydell and narrated by Webster in coordination with the JPS Public Relations Office, will be screened. A reception to reconnect with friends and visit the band and chorus rooms to view memorabilia will be held immediately following the event.

“For 100 years, music has been at the heart of the Jamestown High School experience, uniting students, educators, and the community through a shared passion for excellence,” said Meghan Murray, JHS director of bands. “This milestone is a celebration of not just the band and chorus, but of the generations who have carried forward a tradition of artistry, dedication, and musical achievement. We are honored to continue that legacy and look forward to what the next century will bring.”

2009 JHS graduate Technical Sgt. Erik Lundquist, a euphoniumist with the Ceremonial Brass, The United States Air Force Band, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C., will join the JHS band during the 100th anniversary celebration on April 5.

“The legacy of music at Jamestown High School is one of commitment, tradition, and innovation,” said Lauren Scharf, JHS director of choral activities. “For a century, students have found their voices–whether through song or instrument–within these ensembles, creating experiences that shape them for a lifetime. This celebration is about honoring the past, embracing the present, and inspiring the future of music at JHS and beyond.”

While music education at Jamestown High School dates back to the early days of the Jamestown Academy in 1837 and had been formalized thanks to the work of Frederick E. Bottsford, the 2024-25 school year marks the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the current ensembles by brother and sister Arthur and Ebba Goranson.

Ahead of the 1924-25 school year, Ebba Goranson combined the boys’ and girls’ glee clubs into a mixed chorus that would eventually become known as the A Cappella Choir. Known for its annual Vespers services around the holidays and traditional repertoire, she served as the program’s first director until her passing in 1957. A trailblazer, 100 years ago this year, she was also named the district’s Supervisor of Music — the first woman in the state to be assigned such responsibility.

From 1923 to 1948, Arthur Goranson served as director of the band program and over the course of 18 of those years, the band performed in 20 sectional competitions, 10 New York state finals, six national contests, and one international contest, winning high honors in most of them. Arthur Goranson also founded the organization now known as the New York State School Music Association, known colloquially as NYSSMA.

Both programs have gone on to define “excellence” at Jamestown High School. The band program’s evolution has included success both onstage in the forms of the current concert and symphonic bands as well as the JHS Marching Band thanks to subsequent directors Charles Jacobson, Lou Deppas, Jamie Sigler, Marc Lentsch, Murray, and others. The A Cappella Choir, meanwhile, has remained a community presence and traveled across the globe to perform at various cathedrals and places of interest, earning the nickname “Choir of the Cathedrals” thanks to the work of Goranson’s successors Donald Bube, Brian Bogey, Norm Lydell, and Scharf.

The April 5 performance is free and open to the public and alumni.