The Okawville High School Spring Music Concert was held on Sunday, May 3rd, in the Okawville Cafetorium. They started with the Star- Spangled Banner song by Eva Tooley. Then it was followed by the high school Jazz Combo, which played the St. James Infirmary by Don Redman and Jive Samba by Nat Adderley.
After they were done, the High School Jazz Band was up. They played Sunday Morning by Roy Phillippe. There were two soloists: Madeline Dulle played the Alto Saxophone and Ellie Simonton played the Mellophone. Next, they played Splanky by Roy Phillippe, the soloist was Dylan Seaton with the Tenor Saxophone. Then Poco Loco by Carl Strommen was next up, and Eva Tooley did a solo playing the Flute. The last song that they played was Work Song by Terry White. The soloists who played in that song were Benjamin Winegarner with the Trombone, Sophia Wood with the Trumpet, and Xander Grigsby with the Trombone.
After all that jazz was done, it was time for some songs from the High School Choir. The first song they sang was Jubilate Deo by Mary Lynn Lightfoot. Then The River Sleeps Beneath The Sky by Mary Lynn Lightfoot. After those, the next song was the Walk Dem Bones by Saudra Berry Musser. There were four soloists, Jared Bollmier, and a Vocal Trio that consisted of Laney Hundelt, Ellie Simonton, and Sophia Wood. The next song was Heard It Through The Grapevine by Ed Lojeski, and the soloist was Lucy Pille. Finally, the last song that was sung was Stand By Me by Audrey Snyder, and the soloist was Eva Tooley.
The last group to go was the High School Band, where they played Marche Diabolique by Brian Balmages. The soloists were: Sophia Wood playing the Trumpet, Ryan Schwab playing the French Horn, and Dylan Seaton playing the Flute. Then they played For the Beauty Of The Earth by James Swearingen. The soloists were Alexis Jarden playing the Oboe and Dylan Seaton playing the Flute. The next song was Legend Of The Nighthawk by James Swearingen, and finally, the last song that the high school band played was Encanto by Robert W. Smith. The soloists were Sophia Wood playing the Trumpet and Eva Tooley playing the Flute.
When all the songs were done, it was time for the awards to be given out. The High School Excellence Band award went to Dylan Seaton, Clayton Maynard, Aiden Parker, and Ellie Simonton. The High School Excellence Chorus went to Caroline Tepe, Madeline Dulle, Lucy Pille, and Kaydence Gesiriech. The fundraising award went to Jared Bollmeier, the Tri-M serves award went to Sophia Wood, and the John Philip Sousa award went to Julia Helbig. Then the Directors’ award went to Alexis Jarden, the Arion award for band went to Ryan Schwab, and the Arion Award for chorus went to Eva Tooley. Then the Outstanding Rockets instrumentalist award went to Judah Hurst. Finally, the last award that was given that night was the Outstanding Rocket Vocalist award, and that went to Eva Tooley.