Monica LaSalle, Nederland. On Tuesday, May 14, 2019, the Nederland Middle Senior High School celebrated the end of the school year with a final concert. Just hours after the Highland Park school shooting, I walked into the auditorium to see it packed with parents, siblings, friends and family, all excited to support our budding musicians as they take the stage to perform works from Gershwin to Freddie Mercury. 

As I gazed around at our community, I found myself so moved to see us all there together, supporting our kids and not giving into the fear, the sorrow, the anger or political agendas that have threatened to consume us daily. I realized that we are sticking together as a community, and together we will get through these hard times. 

For so many of us, music is the vehicle that makes and keeps connections. So, it seemed extremely important and appropriate to be able to share in the performance that night despite a desire to hide at home in sorrow for the latest tragedy, that hit so close to home. It is more important than ever to be a witness for our children, to honor them for all their hard work and dedication that is helping put a positive, healing, nurturing spin to this world. 

Music being such a pure expression of the soul, I listen to the High School Orchestra help their fellow classmate, senior Bill McNamara, be awarded Most Inspirational followed by a fantastic rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody – his choice for his last song played before he heads off into the wide world. As Christine Mallory hands out more awards, faces light up with pride for everyone’s accomplishments. 

Middle Level Orchestra were the next to hit the stage with a beautiful rendition of Theme from Canon in D, by Johann Pachelbel (Arr. John Caponegro), followed by Storm, by Soon Hee Newbold. Pirates of the Caribbean Soundtrack Highlights, by Klaus Badelt (Arr. Ted Ricketts), flowed beautifully out of the bells of every horn played by the High School Band, followed by Brian Beck’s Flash, before Band Director Liz Evans announced letter winners Ben Nichols, Zach Weiner and Rowan Harper. 

The Sixth Grade Band then went into an improve version of Summertime, by George Gershwin Du Bose, Dorothy Heyward and Ira Gershwin (Arr. Dr. Willie Hill, Jr.), before clearing the way for sixth Grade Band and a boisterous version of Star Wars, by John Williams (Arr. Carl Strommen). Completing the band performance for the evening was a combined effort of Middle Level and Senior Level Bands, playing Midnight Sky, by Brian Balmages, Celtic Air, by Michael Sweeney and Dixieland Struttin,’ by Eric Osterling. 

Sixth Grade Orchestra came out on stage to take listeners down a majestic flowing river with the soothing sounds of Kings of Stone, a scene out of Lord of the Rings composed by Keith Sharp. Twin siblings Emily and Jacob Geels broke off with twin siblings Aya and Keahi Pelkum Donahue to perform as “Twintet,” a stunning rendition of Finale Rondo Presto, by Franz Joseph Haydn that finished with thunderous applause. Finally, all orchestras combined to perform Electric Sinfonia, by Lauren Bernofsky.

As we all filed out to the hallway, flashes from cameras reflected off walls as parents took pictures of kids dressed in their finest and glowing with a sense of accomplishment and comradery. Complements abound for a performance that left my ears humming with pleasure and my heart swelling with hope for the future. I gaze around me once more and realize that we are going to be okay; we will all stand together and come out okay. 

The Nederland Middle Level Orchestra placed second in the Music in the Parks Festival while High School Orchestra received first place and sixth grade received first place in the Beginning Orchestra Division and won Best Overall Orchestra. Congratulations and thank you for such dedication and effort!

(Originally published in the May 16, 2019, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)