As freshman band member Fiona Schaack reflected on why the band performance on Dec. 12 is important, she said more people should have respect for elders.

“Respecting your elders matters because it’s important to be a well-rounded, respectful person,” Schaack said.

According to band director Steven Schmitz, some band students will perform for senior citizens Dec. 12.

“We are going to a place called Park Shore to play for some senior citizens after school on (Dec. 12),” Schmitz said. “We’ve been doing this for eight or nine years now.”

Schmitz said the program they are playing was created by a former Park student.

“We are going to play a program called Harmony Bridge, which was started by a former alumnus, Mike Levine,” Schmitz said. “He was part of a famous brass quintet and played professionally around the world.”

According to Schmitz, Levine created the program to give back to the community.

“(Levine) decided he needed to give back, so he arranged some folk, patriotic and holiday music for band students that he wanted to be played in senior and veteran homes,” Schmitz said.

Schmitz said they will play a variety of holiday music, along with a couple of patriotic songs.

“We play about eight tunes — holiday music, mostly Christmas, Hanukkah as well,” Schmitz said.

According to Schmitz, no student is required to go, only those who want to attend will volunteer to perform.

“It’s completely voluntary, it’s not like the whole band program is part of it,” Schmitz said. “It is just people who want to do it, this time it is about 20 students.”

Schmitz said the most important part of the concert is the bonding that occurs between students and senior citizens.

“The most important thing is that you are bonding through music, so the students talk to some of the seniors for about a half an hour and find some common ground and learn to honor our elders again,” Schmitz said.