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To say Tanya Young’s fourth- and fifth-grade vocalists are looking forward to a concert Thursday is an understatement.

“They are so excited,” said Young, East Elementary School music teacher. “It’s amazing how much kids want to perform.”

The annual performance, titled “Music Lasts a Lifetime,” starts at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Craig Middle School auditorium, 915 Yampa Ave.

The event is free and open to the public.

Students from elementary through high school will have their place on the risers. Choirs from East and Sunset elementary schools, along with the Sandrock Elementary Sandrockers choir, will perform alongside the Craig Middle School eighth-grade choir and Moffat County High School’s CenterStage group.

“I’m excited that all age levels in our district are being represented,” Young said.

She believes featuring students from a range of ages is itself an expression of the program’s theme.

“I suppose what I hope the audience sees is that we are trying in our district to make music last a lifetime and (are trying) to give the kids from elementary up to high school an experience with music that they can take with them,” Young said.

The program showcases a variety of musical acts, including “The Star Spangled Banner,” “Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight,” and “El Vito,” a traditional Spanish folk song.

The concert recognizes Music in Our Schools Month, a program launched by the National Association for Music Education.

“It’s to observe that music is important and we need to keep it in our schools because a lot of schools are cutting it or they’re going to part-time” music programs, said Amanda Peltier, Sunset Elementary music teacher.

She hopes the concert helps convey the message at a local level.

“It’s just a way to show the community — and not only them but the teachers and the administrators — what music can do for these kids and that we need to keep it in our schools,” she said.

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