After School Board Ban, Watertown Musicians Play On In Packed Church

Watertown musicians defied a recent school board ban and performed *A Mother of A Revolution!* at Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church on Wednesday night. The instrumental piece, composed by Omar Thomas, was pulled from the Watertown High School spring concert last week due to its LGBTQ+ themes, which the district claimed violated its controversial issues policy. Despite the ban, the band substituted Robert Jager’s *Esprit de Corps* at the school concert but performed Thomas’s work at the church event, drawing a crowd that lined up outside and drew over 3,000 livestream viewers. Thomas, who traveled from out of state to conduct the performance, described the piece as a celebration of trans women, particularly Marsha ‘Pay it No Mind’ Johnson, a central figure in the Stonewall Uprising. The composition blends intense bass and oboes with a disco-inspired climax, reflecting its themes of bravery and authenticity. Thomas emphasized the importance of storytelling in bridging human differences, calling the piece a ‘superhero theme’ that transitions into a celebration of resilience. The Watertown High School Band practiced *A Mother of A Revolution!* for five months before its ban, with clarinet player Kacie Tripp expressing relief at finally performing the music she had worked hard to master. Community members, including retired principal Kent Jacobson, attended the event to show support, with Jacobson criticizing the ban as a step backward in fostering acceptance and kindness among students. The church was packed, with overflow crowds gathering outside to listen through open windows. Thomas addressed the crowd, thanking them for their support and calling their presence an example for communities nationwide. The performance highlighted the controversy surrounding the piece, which the school board deemed inappropriate despite its historical and cultural significance in LGBTQ+ advocacy. The event underscored the divide between the school district’s policies and the community’s embrace of inclusive art. Thomas’s dedication to amplifying marginalized voices through music resonated with attendees, who saw the performance as both a artistic triumph and a statement against censorship.