Every year, the LCM Battlin’ Bear Band holds a spring concert for the community to show off its talents and entertain family and friends. This concert is the closing of the band season for the year and for the seniors, it is an important milestone because it is the final event of their high school career in band.

Before the concert, there will be a dinner for all band students and any of their family members that would like to attend. The dinner is set up by the Band Boosters and other band parents; each parent is suggested to bring a side dish that will go with fried chicken provided by the Band Boosters, such as: coleslaw, mac n’ cheese, potato salad, mashed potatoes, etc. The dinner will start at 6 p.m. and attendees must RSVP to Marian Perkins to make sure there will be enough food to serve. Along with the dinner, there also will be a silent auction for blown-up pictures of performances throughout the year (contest, Disney World, etc.).

The concert will be held at 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday, May 20 in the auditorium. All four bands will perform two to three songs each. The Jazz Band will be performing “Ah, That’s Freedom” by Thad Jones, “A Time for Love” by Johnny Mandel, and “Vehicle” by James Peterik. The concert band will be playing “Joy” by Frank Ticheli and “A Tribute to Journey,” arranged by Victor. The symphonic band will enlighten the audience with “My America,” arranged by Paul Murtha and “The Lion King,” arranged by John Higgins. Finally, the wind ensemble will perform “Summer Dances” by Brian Balmages and “Washington Post” by John Philip Sousa.

To close out the year, on Thursday, May 22, band directors Steve Schoppert and Jose Ochoa and secretary Marian Perkins will hold a banquet for all the graduating seniors at the Brown Center. The seniors will take pictures at 5:30 p.m. and will then sit down for the formal dinner at 6 p.m. This event is a chance for seniors to enjoy their last moments together as a band family.

“Band has been the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” senior Luke Mayeax said. “It’s been my life, and it’s only thing that I look forward to everyday. When I look around at people in band, I see a bunch of outstanding musicians who have a sincere desire to learn, to perform, and to succeed; I see a family.”