Staff writer
The Newton Mid-Kansas Symphonic Orchestra kicked off its 2009-10 season with a free pops concert Sunday evening at Marion High School Performing Arts Center.
Several Marion County residents played prominent roles. A trumpet trio composed of Dwight Beckham of Marion, Greg Bergman of Peabody, and Kyle Unruh of Goessel played an exhilarating version of “Bugler’s Holiday.”
Other Marion County members were Susan Mayo and Kenna Graber, both of Peabody.
Several members of the orchestra rotated as conductors, including Beckham, Bergman, Bergman’s wife, Kate, and Beckham’s brother, Ken, of St. Charles, Mo.
The orchestra opened with “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “Home on the Range” and played themes from movies such as “Mission Impossible” and “Fiddler on the Roof.”
The concert concluded with patriotic melodies related to five conflicts in American history. These included “Yankee Doodle,” “When Johnnie Comes Marching Home,” “His Truth is Marching On,” “America the Beautiful,” and Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America.”
Beckham directed the final composition, a rousing rendition of John Phillip Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes.”
Judging by the audience response, the concert was well received and appreciated.