MIDDLETOWN -- The Middletown High School band and chorus will be participating in the Presidential Inaugural Music Festival in Washington, D.C. this weekend.
Some 220 students, teachers and chaperones will leave in a four-bus caravan from MHS Friday morning for a three-night stay in the nation's capital. On Saturday, the marching band, the concert band, the string orchestra and the jazz ensemble will compete with similar musical organizations from across the country.
The concert choir and chamber choir and other choral groups will also compete in the day-long event.
On Sunday the group will have the opportunity to explore DC and will visit many of the Smithsonian Museums on the National Mall and will cap the day with a dinner cruise on the Potomac River.
on Monday the group will view the presidential inauguration on the Mall.
"We think it will be a great experience for our students," said band director Marco Gaylord. "We are disappointed we were not selected to march in the parade and further disappointed than no bands from Connecticut were selected by the committee.
"We had letters of support from Gov. Malloy, Sen. Blumenthal, Rep. DeLauro and Mayor Drew, but it didn't happen."
The group has dedicated its perfomances to the people Newtown.
The funding for the trip was done exclusively through fundraisers and through contributions from parents and families of the students.
