Dessert Concert Helps Raise Funds for Orchestra Students
Bob Leonard performs at the 2012 Dessert Concert.
Oskaloosa, Iowa – A long time tradition at Oskaloosa High School gave classical music fans a chance to see some high-brow entertainment.
The 22nd annual Dessert Concert was held last Saturday, and CRI was there to catch the high notes.
It was an exciting night for student musicians in Oskaloosa. Director Bruce McLellan has been leading the student orchestra of middle and high school students for 22 years.
McLellan says “My first year here I thought, we ought to do something like this. So the first time we did it was in the… it was the junior high school back then. We did it in the commons, had about 50 people come for one concert.”
This year, 84 students were involved in the concert, including violinist Bob Leonard.
Leonard says “I started the violin in 4th grade, um with the with the school, um and then I just kind of played it all throughout, you know, kept with it throughout the years.”
Leonard hopes to continue his studies in music after high school, but he says he’ll miss the annual concert.
“This is my last dessert concert, this is the first of the last series of concerts for me at high school, and I was kind of like, I dunno, it was kind of a tear jerker there for a bit, but, you know, it kind of motivated you to make it the best concert you have and I think it was one of our best dessert concerts we’ve had, ” says Leonard.
In his last year, Leonard just hopes he can go out on a good note.
The event raised $1,500 to help with uniforms, instruments and a trip that the orchestra students take every four years.
