Barbara Lawlor, Nederland.  The Nederland Middle Senior High School Music program presents four concerts a year with band/ orchestra concerts on Tuesday nights and choir concerts on Wednesday nights. Those who attend the concerts throughout the school year usually see immense improvement from the fall concert to the spring concert.

Tuesday night's spring concert proved this to be extraordinarily true. The confidence, the musicality and the sheer talent of these students was evident as all grade levels performed.

The middle school and high school orchestras combined in three numbers designed to highlight the different sections. The cellos carried the melody in Cello Ole! Violin Country gave the violin section a chance to shine and three musicians on the bass had a rare opportunity to play the melody.

Senior percussionist Kevin Merz decided a few months ago to play the piano and took the spotlight as he performed Red Like Roses, which he also arranged.

Senior Elenor Scott played a violin solo in the nostalgic piece, A Very Respectable Hobbit.

The High School Band and Orchesta joined instruments in a poignant dedication to the seniors, River Flows in You.

To end the evening, all of the middle and high school musicians played the finale, Aboriginal Rituals. The audience cheered their children who demonstrated what one school year of dedicated practice and dedicated conductors can bring to fruition.

(Originally published in the May 11, 2017 print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)