Schools

Local Students Prepare to Honor Veterans With Music

Liberty High School band students are using what they've learned in class in give back to those who have served in the military.

Alongside their musical director, Liberty High School band students are giving back, spending their time preparing for a special concert to recognize those who have given to them. 

“We want the students to experience more patriotism and to reach out to a lot of the veterans and service people and let them know how much they are appreciated and how we rely on them to keep our country safe,” said Brandi Jason, music director at Liberty High School.

To do this, she has organized the "Salute to the Armed Services Pops Concert" on April 29, involving the entire instrumental music program.

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“We get to honor our country and the people who have fought to get our country where we are so it’s really nice we share our talent with the community as well as honoring their talent in what they’ve done in the community,” said Lauren Rosso, a senior at Liberty High School.

As part of the program, Jason and her students are hoping to get area veterans involved. At the end of the concert they are going to play a medley that includes the service song for each of the five branches. All service people and veterans will be encouraged to rise when their service song is played, and students will present each person with a small American flag.

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“I would just like all of those veterans and service people in the community to come and be recognized and for them to know by the youth in the community that they are appreciated and we do care about what they are doing or what they have done to keep us safe,” said Jason. 

“My Dad who used to be in the Air Force is going to be at the Pops concert and it’s cool because he’s going to stand up while we’re playing our song about the Air Force and he’s going to be honored along with all of the other veterans,” said sophomore Grant Orndorff. 

“It’s always great to see them stand up and show their appreciation for us showing their appreciation for them,” said Ian Kahn, a senior at Liberty High School. 

Guest artists for the concert include Tim Durkin, Liberty High School science teacher who will be doing a narration of the Gettysburg Address with the Symphonic Band; Liberty High School students Matthew Demers, Evan Kinsey, and Century High School student Samantha Laulis performing "Bugler's Holiday," a trumpet trio with the Wind Ensemble; LHS students Ben Ambrose (tuba), Chris Choi (trumpet), Ian Kahn (euphonium), Lauren Rosso (clarinet), and Mikala Whetsel (clarinet) performing "At a Dixieland Jazz Funeral" with the wind ensemble; LHS mezzo soprano, Lauren Rife, performing "Can't Take That Away From Me" with Jazz Ensemble.

The concert will be held at Liberty High School on April 29 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $6 for students and $8 for adults in advance and $8 for students and $10 for adults at the door. Each ticket includes free apple pie, ice cream and a drink at intermission. Ticket sales benefit the LHS Instrumental Music Boosters for the purchase of new instruments and music, and the repairs of aging instruments.


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