Webutuck musicians perform meaningful spring concert

The Webutuck music department held its annual spring concert on May 13 with band director Eric Wiener saying thank you to his six seniors and the chorus singing “Leave A Light On” to serve as a reminder that May is Mental Health Awareness Month.

“Leave A Light On” was the third of three songs performed by the chorus, following Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time” and Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me.”

“The students appreciated how the song had purpose and meaning in its lyrics, but also in the fact that portions of the profits from the purchases of the arrangement went to the ‘Talk Away the Dark’ campaign through the American Suicide Prevention Foundation,” said Kaylee Kelsey, chorus director.

“The students felt an obligation to perform this song to its fullest, not out of the satisfaction for me or the class, but because of the good this song contributes to.”

Kelsey accompanied her singers on the piano for “Leave A Light On,” and students Future Hicks and Gideon Singleton played guitar.

“It reminds people that there are people to talk to, and even at your lowest, there are people you can reach out to and you can get the help you need,” said Singleton.

The high school band closed out the concert, opening with Chuck Mangione’s 1977 hit, “Feels So Good.” The performance featured solos by seniors Zaina AbouEid on flute, Michael Johnson on alto saxophone and Sebastian Melchor-Agustin on trumpet.

“I was very nervous and I was very sad. It was my last concert,” said Melchor-Agustin, who will study to be an emergency room nurse at Hartwick College. “I’m going to miss the people, seeing them and practicing with them. We’re all going to have our own paths.”

After “Feels So Good,” Wiener recognized his three soloists and his other three seniors – Violet Aufdenberg, Angel Camargo Vazquez and Lucas Miller.

“They mean so much to me and I know the other students look up to them as the role models they are. I will miss them greatly,” said Wiener.

The seventh and eighth grade band opened the concert with three selections, including Randall D. Standridge’s “Time Travelers: First Mission.”

“I can see from so many different levels, there was a lot of growth there. It makes me really proud,” said Wiener.