ROCHELLE — Rochelle elementary students shrieked with laughter and sang along to their favorite songs during the Rochelle Middle School Spring Concert last week.

It’s been an annual tradition for years for the middle school students in band, orchestra and chorus to showcase their talents to the students from Central, May, Lincoln and Tilton schools.

In his 13^thyear as band director at RMS, Paul Madere knows this is an ideal time for the younger crowd to see what their music options are when they get to the middle school.

“The spring concert is to showcase and promote the music program to the younger kids to see when they come to RMS that there’s always opportunities for them to perform, not just in the band but also in the choir and orchestra too,” Madere said. “It’s a lot of fun for all of the kids.”

From the looks of it, the teachers accompanying the students were having fun too. There were some “timeless” hits, such as a “Tribute to Queen” medley sung by the seventh and eighth grade combined chorus to go along with the newest that nearly every youngster knew and sang along to.

Madere and his band students brainstormed for quite some time to come up with the ideal song to get the elementary crowd involved — “High Hopes” by Brendon Urie was the one.

“Probably since September, we start asking ourselves what the song of the year is … what is the song every third grader knows the words to,” he said. “Sometimes it comes early, sometimes late. The ‘High Hopes’ song, I didn’t realize it was so popular until a month ago.”

Along with the musical aspect, Madere always makes sure to interject some fun moments during each of the spring performances. This year Spiderman entertained the crowds while dancing the Floss. Another skit during a song had someone dressed in a banana costume giving high-fives to the crowds.

Along with the two concerts for the elementary students (one for May and Central students and another for Lincoln and Tilton), there was an evening performance for families; and for the first time ever students at RMS were treated to the show.

Madere explained what he strives to instill in all of his band students.

“Certainly, the love of music but also the effort and the amount of work it takes to make good music. It’s not just magic, it takes a lot of work not just in the classroom but at home as well with practice,” he began. “It’s a complete team effort. We say in music, there’s no one on the bench. We are all starters.”

Madere was asked about which instruments he plays and if he has a favorite one.

“I play them all, but the first instrument I started playing was the baritone,” he added. “As for my favorite? They are like children, they are all my favorite.”