Ligonier Valley student organizes free 'March Madness' concert

A Ligonier Valley High School senior is using her lifelong love of music as the basis for her senior project.

Faith McDowell of Ligonier Township is organizing “March Madness,” a free concert beginning at 7 p.m. March 27 at the high school, 40 Springer Road, Ligonier Township.

The program will feature patriotic marches and movie themes performed by the high school concert band, jazz ensemble and a cappella singers.

Among the pieces will be John Philip Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes Forever” and John Williams’ “Imperial March” from “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back” and “The Raiders March” from “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.”

Doors will open at 6:15 p.m., when tickets will be sold for a basket raffle to benefit American Legion Auxiliary Unit 267 in Ligonier, of which McDowell is a junior member.

“There also will be an armed forces medley, so it’s fitting that we’re donating money to the (Legion),” McDowell says.

Tickets will be sold until the music starts, and winning numbers will be drawn during intermission.

Local merchants and families of band members donated merchandise for the baskets, McDowell says.

McDowell says she became interested in music “at a very young age,” when she started taking piano lessons. In addition to piano, she now plays percussion and clarinet. After high school, she will study music education at Seton Hill University in Greensburg.

Ligonier Valley music teacher Bethann Trickett is supervising and co-organizing with McDowell for the student-led “March Madness” concert.

Details: LVHS March Madness Concert on Facebook