Plains puts on musical magic

The Plains School gymnasium was packed with family and friends for the Elementary Spring Concert "Good Vibes" last Tuesday.

"The students performed exceptionally," said Kevin Meredith, the elementary school principal for the last three years. Meredith guessed that there were more than 450 spectators at the concert, which lasted nearly two hours. Meredith believed there were around 300 people in the second half of the concert to view the upper grades.

The concert kicked off with the 29 first-graders singing "There Once Was a Family," led by Nichole Cockrell, the music teacher for kindergarten students to sixth-graders. The kids used kazoos to help illustrate "Somebody Stole My Cow." "The parents will love me when I send them home next week," said Cockrell.

The 25 kindergarteners were accompanied by nine sixth-graders on ukuleles for their part. "Sixth grade is a good grade to teach ukulele and so we wanted to make sure we had one song showing how much the kids have learned this year," said Cockrell, a teacher at Plains for 16 years, although it was only her second year playing the ukulele. "I've been learning right along with the kids. I'm impressed with how some of the kids who have surpassed my skill by far," she said.

The 24 second-graders and the 36 third-graders entertained the crowd with their three songs from each group to end the first half of the program. The second grade students' "Chocolate Sundae" called for a few to wear hard hats to go with the portion of the song involving the construction foreman instructing his crew to build the sundae.

Senior Amy Hill worked the sound system and junior Django Oakcedar served as the concert emcee. High school music teacher Loren Lauridson helped with the fifth and sixth grade bands. Lauridson was hired at the start of last year's school year, but he is leaving for a job at a school in Worland, Wyo.

"I think the kids did a great job. There were a few bumps but I think everyone had fun," said Cockrell, who had been rehearsing with the kids for two months during the scheduled music time of each grade level, usually each day. This is Cockrell's second year as the elementary school music teacher. She and the other elementary school teachers selected the songs about three months ago and narrowed down the selection from about 30 songs. Cockrell said her favorites from this year's concert were "Carried Me With You," by the fourth-graders, "Superhuman," by the third grade kids, and "I Like Me," by the second-graders.

"Mrs. Cockrell did another great job putting together the K-6 concert," said Meredith. "She always seems to find a way to add just a little extra to the performances to make things lighthearted and fun," he said, adding that Cockrell and Lauridson continue to demonstrate that "they are serious about music education and the value it has in our students' lives."

The concert had a short break before it continued with the 31 fourth-graders singing "Let's Go" and "Hamsters Can't Play the Piano." Lauridson took over with his fifth grade band with "When the Saints Go Marching In," "Old MacDonald Had a Band" and "Hard Rock Blues." The sixth grade band, also led by Lauridson, played "Frere Jacques" and "Ode To Joy," which he said were training pieces for music students. The sixth-graders then played their first song, "Enchantment."

The 23 fifth and sixth grade choir members teamed up to sing a couple of tunes and the concert wrapped up with Cockrell and 14 sixth grade musicians singing "Counting Stars" while playing their ukuleles. The teacher said the kids have improved a lot over the past few months.