Barbara Lawlor,  Nederland.   From the audience comes the rustle of program pages, the scurrying of latecomers looking for a seat. The students sit on their chairs on the stage, in a half circle, tuning their instruments, glancing now and then into the audience, to see if their parents and friends have arrived.

Nederland Middle School orchestra director Christine Mallery takes the stage, introduces the musicians, lifts her baton and the concert begins.

The first orchestra/band concert was held last Tuesday night at the NMSHS auditorium.

The middle level orchestra began with “Samurai” and then played a traditional fiddle medley. The middle level played a dramatic version of the “Dragons of Komodo.” Director Liz Evans said that this is the first time the band performed on its own. Then the Middle Level and High Schools bands combined for a rousing version of “The American Way.”

The High School Orchestra moved to the “Brandenburg Concerto no. 3,” the “Ashokan Farewell” and “Waltz of the Wicked.”

For the grand finale, the High School Band and Orchestra joined instruments to play “Medieval Legend.”

Forty-eight students and their instruments participated in the concert, the first of three throughout the school year.