Music students provide moving tribute to veterans

By Kathryn Reed

Across the room the trumpets echoed “Taps” – the distinctive military call also known as Last Post.

Lauren Tang was on one side of the South Tahoe Middle School auditorium, Christina DeLallo on the other. Their duet of sorts visibly moved the nearly 500 people who turned out Thursday for the fourth annual Veterans’ Musical Tribute.

The national anthem was one of the first songs played Nov. 10 at the veterans concert in South Lake Tahoe. Photos/Kathryn Reed

The hundreds of students who performed Nov. 10 were part of the South Tahoe High School Symphonic Band, STMS 6th Grade Concert/Advanced Bands, Tahoe Intermediate Honor Choir, STHS String Orchestra, Blue Ribbon Choir, STMS Symphonic Band, or STMS String Orchestra.

J.J. Clause and Linda Kurek, two of Lake Tahoe Unified School District’s music directors, were in Disneyland when the idea hit them to do this concert. They were there with students for an event when at sunset the Disneyland Band came down Main Street playing patriotic music and took down the flag.

“Linda and I were in tears,” Clause recalled. They decided a concert for vets was something they had to put on – especially with both of their dads being World War II veterans.

This year’s concert was even more moving for Clause, who as she honored the World War II vets in attendance, was able to acknowledge her father’s contributions to history as well. Harry Jenkins served in the Navy. Also recognized Thursday were John Filas, George Waymire and Jim Brathoude.

This tribute is about those who have or are serving in any branch of the Armed Forces. Uniforms dotted the audience of mostly civilians.

This concert is also an opportunity for the students, who have been practicing since the first day of school, to give something back, to become aware of what the men and women in the military have done, and to put a face to people who may seem more like historical figures in a textbook.

Each year the concert is a little different, though a handful of traditional songs – like the “Star Spangled Banner” – are performed each year. Each year the concert ends with a sing-along – “This Land is Your Land” – was the culmination this year.

Besides Kurek and Clause, the other instructors making the concert a reality are Casson Scowcroft, Paul Kushner and Sheri Schimmel.

One of the more haunting songs was “Adagio for Strings” performed by the high school String Orchestra. While Samuel Barber’s song was first performed in 1938, more people today would remember it from the 1986 movie “Platoon”.

Keeping with the emotional aspect of the night, a moment of silence was observed for the South Lake Tahoe men who have died in either the Afghanistan for Iraq conflicts – Garret Fant in 2011, Tim Smith in 2008, and Brandon Williams in 2006.

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Note: Veterans will also be honored at 11 this morning at the American Legion in South Lake Tahoe.

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