Gehlen Catholic spring band concert is Thursday

Proceeds from the pie and ice cream social following the Gehlen Instrumental Spring Music Concert Thursday evening will be used to purchase 70 new uniforms for the Gehlen Catholic competition marching and concert bands. [Click to enlarge]

With an eclectic mix of traditional concert band music and Disney tunes, Gehlen Catholic Schools' band students will present their annual spring instrumental music concert this week. All the band students in grades 4-12 will present their concert at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 1, in the Gehlen Gymnasium. The concert will also be a time to say "farewell" to 13 graduating seniors.

The department celebrates a "One-derful" year with the marching band receiving three out of four I ratings in state competition, musicians earning seven out of nine "I"'s in solo and ensemble contest, the jazz band receiving a "I" rating at the USD Jazz Band competition, and senior Emily Hutchins taking part in the All-State Jazz competition, a first for Gehlen Catholic.

The fourth grade band will perform selections from the Standard of Excellence series by Bruce Pearson.

The fifth and sixth grade bands will perform music independently and jointly. The Junior High Band will feature music by Ed Huckeby, "Colors of the Wind" from the Disney movie "Pocahontas," and others.

The High School Band will be performing music from Joseph Compello (Gypsy Dance), "You've Got Friend In Me" from Disney's "Toy Story," "Washington Post March," and others.

The concert will conclude with the grade 5-12 bands' joint performance of "Marchman" by Robert W. Smith.

The Gehlen Fine Arts Boosters will host a pie and ice cream social in the cafeteria following the concert for a free will donation. Proceeds from the event will be used to help purchase the new uniforms, which will be used both for the competition marching band and the concert band.

"Our current uniforms are old and worn due to the number of performances and competitions the band has participated in the past. We also do not have enough uniforms to fit all of the students in our growing program," said band director Paul Niebuhr. "The new uniforms are versatile enough that by removing the hat and gauntlets, the uniforms can be used for both marching band and concert band performances."

In addition to the pie and ice cream social, the band will be working at Goodwill Industries in the contracts department over the summer and be accepting donations. At Goodwill, students will work on projects clients are unable to do, and by doing so earn money for uniforms and projects.

For a donation of $400, donors can adopt a student. Those individuals will be remembered with their name embroidered in the back of a uniform.