Photo of Mrs. Braun holding trophies after this year’s Music in the Parks competition courtesy of Sindy Donahue Filler.
By Tracy McNew
Mrs. Lorraine Braun directed her final All Choirs Concert on Tuesday, May 21 at the Memorial Center in Libby. Braun has been teaching music at Libby Schools for the last 12 year and she plans to retire when this school year is finished.
In addition to her job at the school, she started a highly successful Libby Children’s Select Choir which has allowed elementary age students from throughout the community including homeschool, public school and Christian school participants to learn, grow, and share in her love of music.
Braun’s time teaching music in Libby has led to a classroom full of trophies, and many musical accomplishments for her students including trips to Carnegie Hall and the Sydney Opera House in recent years. During the recent All Choirs Concert, Braun gave awards to several of her students for a wide array of musical achievements. In return, she was presented with flowers and kind words that made Braun, most of her students, and even some parents shed tears. Braun thanked them, and in return, she read a statement to her students’ parents. She said, “I am so grateful for the opportunity I have had, the past 12 years, to be the music teacher of your children. Please know that my heart is full of joy knowing I have witnessed many events in their lives that have helped shape them as they go through their educational journey. Bless you all. Keep singing!”
Recently, Braun’s choirs attended the Music in the Parks festival/competition held in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho where they swept the competition winning all possible honors. Many of the top performances from that competition were shared for the community to hear at the May 21 concert.
The program started at 7 p.m., and featured songs by the Libby Children’s Select Choir, Libby Middle School Honors Choir, and Libby Middle School Choir. After wiping tears away from the heart-warming speeches and awards section of the program, the event concluded with a performance of Disney Spectacular by the Libby High School Concert Choir which featured props, dancing, and even a blackout with only candlelight and music. The performance and event ended with high schoolers presenting their Mickey Mouse ears to younger students in the children’s choir. A few more tears were shed, and as has become tradition, a cookie was presented to all guests on their way out the doors.
Thank you, Mrs. Braun, for 12 wonderful years teaching our community’s children to love and appreciate music, you will be missed but we know that you will keep singing.