Barbara Lawlor, Nederland.  Nederland Middle Senior High School choir director Liz Evans raised her baton and the 20 members of the Festival Choir and the Loquations blended their voices, beginning the End of the Year concert with some fun, some powerful and some technically amazing songs.

It was the last concert of the school year and the program included “No Time” which was sung at the Madrigal Festival, an Irish folk tune and a dramatic piece by the Festival Choir, “I Have Looked at the Sun Too Fondly.”

Jamie Lammers and senior William Culver duo-ed up with “Change.” The female members of the Loquations rounded up a bit of attitude in their version of “Boy.”

Seniors Hattie Bakke and Hayley Turner struck an emotional chord as they harmonized “Count on Me.”

The two girls first sang the song in the Nederland Elementary School Fifth Grade Talent Show and have been performing together ever since, winning many awards and winning many hearts.

To close the choir concert, the Festival Choir and Loquations team up, each group of singers armed with a ukulele to sing “Can’t Help Falling in Love With You,” Most of the choir members had to learn the instrument to accompany the lyrics and they, and the audience, enjoyed the lyrics as the auditorium was filled with the classic melody that will probably pop into their minds all summer long.

The choir will be saying goodbye to Hattie Bakke, Hayley Turner and William Culver.