On Tuesday, May 10, 2022, the same night as an orchestra and band concert, Nederland Middle-Senior High School (NMSHS) celebrated the school’s orchestra and band with an awards ceremony. Students were thanked and volunteers, parents of graduating seniors, and the graduating seniors themselves were recognized before the night turned over to the concert, the awards interspersed throughout the night.
For the 6th grade band, Casey Hambouger won Most Dedicated, Tad Collins won Hardest Worker, Jonny Moss won Most Improved, and Kai Leavens won Most Inspirational. For the middle-level band, River Lemaster won Most Dedicated, Gary Koziel and Alex Carrico won Hardest Worker, Maja Giecold won Most Improved, and Amika Begin won Most Inspirational. For the high school band, Ben Nichols won Most Dedicated, Robert Akerley won Hardest Worker, Asher Hughes won Most Improved, and Zach Weiner was
Most Inspirational.
For the 6th grade orchestra, Xander Eldridge won Most Dedicated and Evelyne Stanton won Most Improved. For the middle-level orchestra, Reya Levy and Abigail Hess won Most Dedicated, Kenzie Carrico and Evelyn Leary won Hardest Worker, Maddie Carrico and Trinity Prahl won Most Improved, and Eliza Brundege and Halle Peiffer won Most Inspirational. For the high school orchestra, Lukey Mahorski-Bodley won Most Dedicated, Clara Miller won Hardest Worker, Ben Nichols won Most Improved, and Natalie Taylor and Ivy Brundege won Most Inspirational.
For their achievements in the high school band, Zach Weiner, Rowan Harper, and Ben Nichols were each awarded a pin. For their achievements in the high school orchestra, Natalie Taylor and Ivy Brundege were also each awarded a pin. Brundege won the prestigious National School Orchestra Award, and Nichols, Harper, and Weiner were awarded the equally prestigious John Philip Sousa award.
On Wednesday, May 11, the same night as a choir concert, the school awarded various students for their achievements in the choral program. Once again, the awards were interspersed throughout the night. First, the middle school students were celebrated. For the 6th grade choir, The Treble Makers, Codi Waldron won Most Dedicated, Araelia Livingston won Hardest Worker, Quinn Waltrip won Most Improved, and Penny Bodnar won Most Inspirational. For the 7th and 8th grade choir, The Altitunes, Madison Carrico and Tyler Goodnow won Most Dedicated, Lola Kelly and Hazel Kelley won Hardest Worker, Micah LeFavier won Most Improved, and Trinity Prahl and Mason Ivey won Most Inspirational.
Moving on to the high school choirs, for the Festival Choir, Maggie Lake and Mary Jeanne Jarril won Most Dedicated, Hayden Hardt-Zeman won Hardest Worker, Morgan Lake and Bella Manweller won Most Improved, and Maggie Lake won Most Inspirational. For the Loquations, Annabel Ivey won Most Dedicated, Skylar Abookire and Laila Waldron won Hardest Worker, Kyler Rabourn won Most Improved, and Natalie Taylor won Most Inspirational.
For their achievements in the choral program, Skylar Abookire, Amelie Bodnar, Lauren Dirr, Blue Garcia- Paine, Annabel Ivey, Maggie Lake, Aya Pelkhum Donahue, Kyler Rabourn, Poina Savich, Noah Turner, and Laila Waldron were awarded a letter. Townes Bakke and Natalie Taylor were awarded a pin, and Rowan Harper was awarded both a letter and a pin.
Finally, two people from every grade were awarded the Outstanding Musician 2021-2022 award. Sophia Beauvineau and Eliza Moore won Outstanding 6th Grade Musician. Amika Begin and Juniper Hill won Outstanding 7th Grade Musician. Ruby Gustafson and Mason Ivey won Outstanding 8th Grade Musician.
Aya Pelkhum Donahue and Amelie Bodnar won Outstanding Freshman Musician. Lauren Dirr and Blue Garcia- Paine won Outstanding Sophomore Musician. Skylar Abookire and Annabel Ivey won Outstanding Junior Musician. Finally, Townes Bakke and Kyler Rabourn won Outstanding Senior Musician. In addition, Townes Bakke, Rowan Harper, Natalie Taylor, and Skylar Abookire were honored for their participation in the CU Boulder Reading Choir 2021, and Natalie Taylor was awarded the prestigious National School Choral Award.
Along with the band and orchestra and choir concerts, the music awards allowed each student from NMSHS to celebrate their achievements for the year in band, orchestra, and/or choir. They allowed students to come together during a year when restrictions mandated due to COVID started to be lifted, and despite the fact that the virus still looms over all of us, the awards reminded the students that for now, there is at least a minimal sense of normalcy coming back to the artistic programs that they love.
In addition, the concerts went swimmingly. The band and orchestra concert allowed for students to perform pieces such as “Vulcan’s Forge,” “Slingshot,” “Kings of Stone,” “Incantation and Ritual,” “The Batman Theme,” “Ancient Ritual,” “Dancing Snakes,” “Arith-Metric No. 1 for Strings,” and “Hyperdrive.” The choir concert allowed for students to perform pieces such as “La Cucaracha,” “When The Party’s Over,” “Tongo,” “Deep Peace,” “House at Pooh Corner,” “Sweet Dreams,” “She Sings…,” “Nine Hundred Miles,” “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” “Love Shack,” and “Be Like The Bird,” some of which were arranged by the students.
Most of all, the music awards and concerts allowed students to feel appreciated for their contributions to the artistic programs of NMSHS. Whether they grab an instrument or use their voices to create art that touches people’s souls and brings the community together, their contributions to the Nederland community cannot be understated, and these awards and concerts allow them to come together, recognize their contributions, and feel proud that they participate in something so uplifting.