All City Strings Concert unifies young string musicians

Anna Brull

The Hays High School Orchestra performs during the All City Strings Concert in 2018. Crull said she believed this year’s concert went well in showing the student progress from elementary ages to high school.

The All City Strings Concert was successful in bringing together all of the school orchestras in Hays.

Elementary students, middle school students, and high school students worked together to put on the concert.
Each age of students received a time to showcase the work they have put into the songs they played.

“I think that it is a great opportunity to see the progression of string players from elementary school to high school,” instructor Joan Crull said. “I think it is a cool thing for parents to see.”

Crull said the younger students cannot wait to become high school players, and they idolize the older teenagers.

The concert has been around for at least 12 years, while Crull taught the orchestras, and was around even before that.

“I think it is a really good recruitment thing, because when parents hear their kid at home playing their instrument, they can see what beauty comes with just sticking to it,” Crull said.

Crull believes the concert went well, especially after receiving parent compliments after the show.

“I am proud of how the high school pitches in and takes care of themselves and gets done whatever they need to do,” Crull said. “I didn’t have to worry about them at all.”

20ahillebrand@usd489.com