Demonstrating the progressing talent of Deer Park’s younger musicians and the vitality of the district’s music programs, students at JFK performed in annual spring concerts on May 18, playing in a variety of choral, orchestra and band ensembles for both peers by day and parent audiences in the evening.

For the closing piece from the fourth- and fifth-grade chorus, a rendition of Sara Bareilles’ “Brave,” student singers displayed banners they had created with an anti-bullying theme. The featured accompanist for the song was fifth-grade drummer Ashlynn McHugh. According to choir director Kristen Lombardo, McHugh learned to play the drum part in less than a month. McHugh and classmates Anthony Aguilar and Tovia Manning also performed percussion on a striking Swahili song, “Dansi Na Kuimba.”