High Plains Barbershop Chorus

The Hays High Plains Barbershop Chorus has lent a helping hand to Hays USD 489 orchestras this fall.

Due to recent budget cuts and music teacher loads being restructured, there was danger of many orchestra students not being able to participate in the Hays City Music Festival this year. This is an annual event which involves hundreds of orchestra, choir and band students from Hays Middle School and other surrounding middle schools. With not enough orchestra teacher hours to help all the small ensembles and students who prepare a solo but don’t have private lessons, many orchestra students were in danger of being cut from the festival.

In stepped the Hays High Plains Barbershop Chorus. The group donated $1,000 to fund private string teachers from the community to come into the middle school and prepare students for the festival.

The gift means every orchestra student, regardless of whether they can afford to take private lessons or not, can participate in the Hays City Music Festival.