4th Annual BBQ/ Potluck at Frontier Park (6/10/17)
This was the Klouse Directors 40th year of teaching and their last BBQ as directors at Liberty Middle School. A successful day of fun and laughs to be treasured memories for years to come!
Congrats to the Klouse's on their retirement!
Congrats to the Klouse's on their retirement!
Music, Magic, and Marinara 2017
Our Annual Holiday concert brought everyone together for an evening of Choir, Orchestra, and Band performances. Combining a catered dinner from the Flying Tomato with guest performances by the GK Jazz Band and Choir made for a wonderful event. Thank you to all those who attended, to those who donated and purchased desserts during our Auction, and to those who took advantage of photos with Santa (thank you Santa and our host Photographer too!). We could not provide instruments, transportation and beyond to our music department without the Liberty Community's support.
Chamber Orchestra Performs with 8th Grade Band - Curtis High School Contest (5-14-16)
Mr. and Mrs. Klouse proudly directed their symphonic orchestra and 8th grade band at an orchestra contest at Curtis High School in UP today. As Mr. Klouse stepped foot on the directors podium, the students raised promptly to their feet out of respect for their director. The orchestra and band played like professional musicians with bows moving in synchronization and sounds of winds and percussion in harmony. The kids wowed the judges and received remarkable credit that was well deserved. Mrs. Klouse usually directs the orchestra and Mr. Klouse directs the band. The pair had a moment on stage of shear love and pride for each other and for their talented students. No other middle schools combined their orchestra and bands, and Liberty students proved their sportsmanship by being supportive audience members and watched while other schools took the stage. Class, professionalism, talent, and respect oozed through this day.
2016 Best in the Northwest Choir Contest & Day of Honor 5/6/16
To say this day was an honor just might be an understatement. The day was filled with a visit to Olympia's Capital Rotunda, the Grotto in Portland, and the University of Portland Choir Contest.
It was an early morning to embark on the journey. Our tour began at the capital and the acoustics had our musicians sounding like a most prestigious choir. The beautiful echo and richness in the rotunda was breathtaking. The students lined the outskirts of the circle under the dome and belted out a holy and magical sound.
The second stop was visiting the holy place of the Grotto in Portland. As we exited the bus, we were greeted with beauty, tranquility, and peace. The students performed in the small chapel on site that was astonishingly decorated with scenes from Biblical events. Visitors to the chapel were amazed by the glorious sound. Parent chaperones shed a few tears with the passion and exquisiteness of the musicians.
The University of Portland welcomed the LMS musicians with great expectations as Mrs. Klouse has warranted over the years. Our students possessed great professionalism, poise, and sportsmanship. They applauded other groups with joy and respect. Their sounds were refined, rich, and received high marks from the judges. A standing ovation was warmly received by our students as they wowed the other competitors including audience members and chaperones. The final blessing was one of prestige and honor as there were among 15 professional chorister groups in the competition, but LMS won 3rd place and was awarded a plague to bring home.
With joy in their hearts they embraced their accomplishment and yet still had enough humility to congratulate those other groups around them. A little hokkie pokkie in a back parking lot away from the other groups was their private way of honoring each other, their teacher, the trip, chaperones, student teachers, and accompanist in fun. The hugs and camaraderie they shared painted a picture of life long friendships, growth, and grace.
Our last stop on our journey home was dinner at Izzy's in Vancouver. Students ate buffet style dinner chatting about the fun they had all day. Smiles filled the room with delight along with 35 - 40 penguin suits. Patrons wondered what was going on, but once the students finished their dinner, they serenaded the customers with a rich sound of 'Hark I Hear.' Not only were parents tearing up, but the room filled with honor as these students were no longer looked upon as an interruption to Friday night dinner. They gained the respect as professionals and received a welcoming applause as we left.
Finally the bus ride home is normally a time for silence and rest. Not these students, they joyfully used their elegant voices and teamwork to carol us home with the songs of the day and other songs they've been taught by Mrs. Klouse over the years. The pride they felt for their group and their director oozed in their love of music and each other. The students were welcomed home by the sounds of their parents cheerful honks (parents were encouraged to honk happily as students returned with a successful win) and the students sang 'Hark I Hear' as they were finding their families to return home.
Mrs. Klouse has created a legacy of love, dedication, commitment, honor, humility, professionalism, teamwork, and musicality with her students. She has an inner passion for what she does and it shows. These 8th grade students will never forget this day!
It was an early morning to embark on the journey. Our tour began at the capital and the acoustics had our musicians sounding like a most prestigious choir. The beautiful echo and richness in the rotunda was breathtaking. The students lined the outskirts of the circle under the dome and belted out a holy and magical sound.
The second stop was visiting the holy place of the Grotto in Portland. As we exited the bus, we were greeted with beauty, tranquility, and peace. The students performed in the small chapel on site that was astonishingly decorated with scenes from Biblical events. Visitors to the chapel were amazed by the glorious sound. Parent chaperones shed a few tears with the passion and exquisiteness of the musicians.
The University of Portland welcomed the LMS musicians with great expectations as Mrs. Klouse has warranted over the years. Our students possessed great professionalism, poise, and sportsmanship. They applauded other groups with joy and respect. Their sounds were refined, rich, and received high marks from the judges. A standing ovation was warmly received by our students as they wowed the other competitors including audience members and chaperones. The final blessing was one of prestige and honor as there were among 15 professional chorister groups in the competition, but LMS won 3rd place and was awarded a plague to bring home.
With joy in their hearts they embraced their accomplishment and yet still had enough humility to congratulate those other groups around them. A little hokkie pokkie in a back parking lot away from the other groups was their private way of honoring each other, their teacher, the trip, chaperones, student teachers, and accompanist in fun. The hugs and camaraderie they shared painted a picture of life long friendships, growth, and grace.
Our last stop on our journey home was dinner at Izzy's in Vancouver. Students ate buffet style dinner chatting about the fun they had all day. Smiles filled the room with delight along with 35 - 40 penguin suits. Patrons wondered what was going on, but once the students finished their dinner, they serenaded the customers with a rich sound of 'Hark I Hear.' Not only were parents tearing up, but the room filled with honor as these students were no longer looked upon as an interruption to Friday night dinner. They gained the respect as professionals and received a welcoming applause as we left.
Finally the bus ride home is normally a time for silence and rest. Not these students, they joyfully used their elegant voices and teamwork to carol us home with the songs of the day and other songs they've been taught by Mrs. Klouse over the years. The pride they felt for their group and their director oozed in their love of music and each other. The students were welcomed home by the sounds of their parents cheerful honks (parents were encouraged to honk happily as students returned with a successful win) and the students sang 'Hark I Hear' as they were finding their families to return home.
Mrs. Klouse has created a legacy of love, dedication, commitment, honor, humility, professionalism, teamwork, and musicality with her students. She has an inner passion for what she does and it shows. These 8th grade students will never forget this day!