Bemis And Mars Recital Sunday At McNees Auditorium

Area residents will have a special opportunity to hear fine music performed by Nathaniel Mars on the piano and Ethan Bemis on his trumpet in recital at the Kimball High School Auditorium on Sunday, June 23 at 3 p.m.

Both are graduating senior students of Patricia Fletcher and both will major in music on scholarships this fall.

Nathaniel has studied piano for 12 years and the organ for three years. In 2018, he was selected by Music Faculty at UNL-Hixon-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts to be honored as one of only five piano students across the state to receive the Nebraska Young Artist of the Year award. He has also accompanied fellow award-winning high schoolers, including Bemis on trumpet. Nathaniel plays organ for church frequently, leading St. John’s congregational service once a month on organ and playing for other congregations as needed.

Nathaniel began school in Kimball Public Schools, shifting to homeschooling in second grade. He graduated High School from Memorial Press Online Academy with a 4.0 GPA. He will attend Concordia University-Nebraska on scholarships this fall to study Church Music with organ as his principal study instrument in addition to Pre-Seminary studies.

Ethan has studied trumpet for seven years. He began learning trumpet in sixth grade from Kristi Hiles-Smith and for the past three years has concentrated his studies under Patricia Fletcher. Ethan has received outstanding performance awards from the District Music Contest and SPVA Contest during his junior and senior years of high school.

He has played many times for congregational services at St. John’s Lutheran Church and also performed “Taps” for Memorial Day, Veterans Day funerals and memorial services.

Ethan attended Veritas Scholarship Academy (VSA) for three years and completed his senior year by earning partial credits from VSA Kimball High School and home school curriculum. He plans to attend the University of Wyoming this fall on scholarships, as a trumpet major in both Music Performance and Music Education.

Patricia holds the MM from Eastman School of Music. After many years of performing and teaching in colleges and universities, she has “retired” to teaching students from Kimball, Sidney, Potter, Dix and Pine Bluffs many hours a week.

Her students have performed all over the world and many are currently teaching in colleges and universities while others are presently majoring in music.

The public is invited to attend this outstanding recital with free admission.