On Tuesday, May 3, fifth grade students through high school seniors involved in orchestra performed their annual All-City Strings Concert.
The orchestras played in the Hays Middle School gym at 7 p.m.
The concert started with the Lincoln, O’Loughlin, Roosevelt, and Wilson’s fifth grade orchestras combining to perform “Hot Cross Buns & Variation,” “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” “Scotland’s Burning” and “Boil ‘em Cabbage.”
Hays Middle School’s first and second orchestras performed “Finlandia” by Sibelius and arranged by Roy Phillipe, followed by the second orchestra performing “Burst!” by Brian Balmages, and the third and fourth orchestras performing “Serendipity Suite” by Richard Meyer, music from “Pirates of the Caribbean” by Klaus Badelt and arranged by Larry Moore and “Deception” by Marc Allison.
Hays High’s Concert Orchestra then performed “Legend” by David O’ Fallon and “Moondance” by Van Morrison and arranged by Hopkins, and the Chamber Orchestra performed “Concerto in C Major,” “Allegro molto” by Telemann and McCashin and “Carpe Diem” by Richard Meyer.
The concert concluded with all orchestra students performing “Ode to Joy” by Beethoven and arranged by Nathan Mark together.
Seniors Kiersten Goertzen and Sydney Wittkorn were each awarded the Orchestra Booster Scholarship.
“Sydney Wittkorn and Kiersten Goertzen each were given the National School Orchestra Award, which is the top orchestra award given to someone who has contributed greatly to the orchestra program by excellent playing, hard-working leadership and active involvement in contests and festivals,” Hays High orchestra instructor Joan Crull said.
The concert also asked for donations to go to a seventh grade orchestra student who is undergoing treatments for Stage 4 Hodgkins Lymphoma.
“The All-City Strings Concert featured all 215 string players in USD 489,” Crull said. “It was amazing to see the musical growth and progress as we moved from youngest to oldest groups!”

22acoveney@usd489.com