CCS fifth grade among groups performing at NE State Capitol

The Chase County fifth grade choir was honored as being one of eight groups selected to perform at the Nebraska Capitol as part of the Nebraska Music Educators Capitol Concert Series last week.
The concert series is to advocate for music education in Nebraska schools during National Music in Our Schools Month, CCS music teacher Jodie Liess said.
The choir performed in Lincoln March 21. Two groups performed each day March 20-23.
The class recorded two audition songs and sent them for consideration in January. They received their acceptance Feb. 17.
They then learned new songs to perform and perfected a few favorites for their 25-minute concert.
The class’s trip to Lincoln was an adventure.
Two buses of students left Imperial at 5:30 a.m. East of Ogallala, Liess said the boys’ bus witnessed a semi moving across in front of them and into the median.
“Larry Munger was the bus driver and saw something happening with the semi and kept the bus out of harm’s way,” Liess said.
The CCS bus pulled over and Principal Becky Odens called 911 before Odens and sponsors Julie Sparrow and Kym Weiss checked on the truck driver. After confirming he was OK, the bus continued on and met up with the girls’ bus, including driver Brad Dinnel and sponsors Janet Sheaffer and Abigail Bauerle, at Brady for the rest of the drive.
Once they got to the Capitol, the group wasn’t allowed into the rotunda right away because of demonstrators.
A group opposing LB574, which would bar puberty blockers, gender-affirming surgeries and hormone therapy for people under 19, held signs and chanted until the legislature adjourned for lunch, Liess said.
CCS was able to sing after the rotunda was cleared.
Attending the performance was Senator Theresa Ibach, as were a number of the students’ families, friends and relatives.
Accompanied by Annie Pursley, the choir began by singing The Star Spangled Banner. The state song, Beautiful Nebraska followed.
The rest of their program was music with two parts, Liess said, including Come to the Music by Joseph Martin.
“This is a difficult piece with changing time signatures and key signatures,” Liess noted.
Room at My Table by Mike Wilson was next, followed by Sarasponda, a Dutch spinning song that picked up the pace.
“The class then honored Nebraska veterans by performing We Honor You by Roger Emerson,” according to Liess.
Wrapping up the performance was Hine Ma Tove sung in Hebrew then the song every CCS elementary concert closes with, An Old Irish Blessing.
CCS was able to stay to listen to the second concert of the day, the Omaha Burke Chamber Orchestra, which Liess said played beautifully.
The day continued with a tour of Memorial Stadium where students saw team and player trophies, as well as seeing some of the football players.
The class then was able to do the tunnel walk and run onto the field. They were able to spend 10-15 minutes on the field.
After the tour, the class returned to the Capitol.
“The students took the tour of our historic state Capitol and were able to go to the 14th floor observation deck and see Lincoln from there,” Liess said, adding, the class enjoyed Dominos pizza before heading home.
Busses arrived back in Imperial about 9:10 p.m.  
“It was a day full of new experiences and memories,” Liess said.