The LHS bands had their last concert for the 2024-2025 school year, May 1. Each band performed three pieces, and music teachers Brad Balog, Kevin Lowe and Andrew Reader directed various pieces.
This concert featured two firsts: water jugs and an electric guitar. Percussion 1 members used water jugs during Concert Band’s final piece, The Great Steamboat Race, to represent a steamboat moving through the water. During Wind Ensemble’s last piece, Urban Light, senior Declan Phipps was featured on electric guitar.
Following Wind Ensemble, all band directors were recognized for their work during the school year, and Balog received additional recognition for being awarded Rockwood Teacher of the Year.
This concert was also the last for the Class of 2025. 10 band seniors were recognized, along with senior color guard members.
“The Class of 2025 for the band has been incredibly dedicated to the program in all facets,” Balog said.
Balog also enjoyed the positivity the senior class brought and said that that has left a positive impact on all other members of the band.
Only one senior is planning on majoring in music education in the future. Senior Cass Prinzivalli will be attending the College of the Ozarks this fall, where she will majoring in instrumental music education. She hopes to either be an orchestra or band director in the future.
“I have actually known Cass since 6th grade when I started her on trumpet at RVMS. She is one of our most involved music students at Lafayette,” Balog said.
Prinzivalli has been involved in multiple bands, orchestra, choir, rock band and also took AP Music Theory.
“These experiences are going to pay huge dividends for her as she starts to study music education in college,” Balog said.
Balog said is he proud of Prinzivalli’s growth and looks forward to seeing what she does with her love of music.
Prinzivalli always knew that she wanted to have a career in music when she was older, but she didn’t know until the end of her freshman year that she wanted to become a music teacher. She said that her time with Lafayette’s band program helped influence that decision.
“I’d say Mr. Balog is probably one of the main reasons. When I think about music and teaching, I close my eyes and I can just imagine [him] up on the podium, waving his baton around. I aspire to just be another Mr. Balog one day,” Prinzivalli said.
Out of all parts of the music programs, Prinzivalli is most going to miss the community of people.
“I love having made all these friends. I’m really going to miss seeing my friends every single day,” she said.
In college, Prinzivalli hopes to involve herself in College of the Ozarks’ jazz and concert bands, as well as their orchestra.
“I want to get my degree for both [band and orchestra], and I can decide. I’ll have more options in the future,” Prinzivalli said.
While the Class of 2025 is leaving, Balog is looking forward to how the Class of 2026 will impact the band program during their senior year. He also said that next year will be the biggest it has ever been during his time at LHS.
“There is a lot to look forward to,” he said.
