Hear Orcas School Musicians at Three Concerts!

Thursday, May 23,  performance by 5th – 8th grades at 7 p.m. in the Orcas School Cafeteria

6th grade band with Band Director Martin Lund

5th grade band with Band Director Martin Lund

5th and 6th grade strings with Director Pamela Wright

5th and 6th grade choir with Director Pamela Wright

From Kristen Wilson for Music Advocacy Group (MAG)

Orcas school music students are now preparing for the school year’s final three music concerts, which will take place over the next three Thursdays. “Here’s your chance to hear and support these award-winning young musicians for the last time this year,” said Pamela Wright, Music Director for strings and choir. “Also, sadly, this is your last chance to see Martin Lund conducting our band musicians because he is resigning at the end of this school year.”

Each concert takes place on a Thursday, but each takes place in a different venue. All concerts are free and open to the public, although donations are gratefully accepted for the High School concert.

The first concert is Thursday, May 23, with a performance by 5th through 8th grades at 7 p.m. in the Orcas School Cafeteria. Concertgoers on May 23 will hear the 5th and 6th grade choir sing “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele and “Gold” by Britt Nicole. The 5th and 6th grade strings will play “Western Dreams” and “Swashbucklin’ Sailors,” traditional sea shanties. The middle school strings will play Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto #5 and #3. The 5th grade band is considering several songs including the “William Tell Overture,” “Kookaburra” and “Can-Can.” The 6th grade band will play “Black Forest Polka” and “Yankee Doodle.” The middle school band will play “Fiesta Mexicali” and “The Entertainer.” The sixth grade brass quintet will also be playing their “superior”-rated piece, “The Five Guardians of the Brass Ring.”

The concert series will continue on Thursday, May 30, when the Orcas High School strings and band perform at 7 p.m. at Orcas Center. One of the exceptional parts of this concert is sure to be the appearance of violinist Monique Mead, soloing with the Orcas High School strings on Vivaldi’s “Spring” from “The Four Seasons.” In addition, the Orcas Youth Orchestra will play a Martin Lund arrangement of “I Like a Gershwin Song”, as well as Brahms 2nd Symphony, 3rd movement. Donations to the Music Advocacy Group (MAG) will be accepted for this performance to offset the $400+ rental fee for Orcas Center.

On Thursday, June 6, Kindergarten through 4th grade students will conclude the series with a concert at 6:30 p.m. in the Old Gym at the Orcas School.