We are constantly wowed by the amount of musical talent we have in Tifton. This hit home again Thursday night when the Tift County Foundation for Educational Excellence hosted "A Night for Music" at Tift County High School. The event was in honor of the foundation’s new "Virginia Tift Brumby Music Chair."

Performing were many local students, local music faculty and other local musicians. A better night of musical entertainment could not have been found at any price – and this event was free.

Vann Thornton, the music director at TCHS’ Northeast Campus, put the show together for the foundation. The evening showcased the talents of the Northeast Campus Jazz Band (all ninth-graders), the high school’s A Cappella Choir, and TCHS music students Michael Luo on saxophone, Al Janelle on vocals and guitar, the vocals of students Taylor Nipper, Melissa Baxter and Kirsten Underwood, and student pianist Jason Ni, who brought the audience to its feet.

In addition, there was a piano performance by Gina Lawhon, a Tift County music teacher; and performances by teachers Sheri Grabowski on flute, Betsy Jones on cello, and Stan Smith, the Northeast Campus choral director, on guitar and vocals. Thornton also performed with his wife, Marlene Bowen, a local jazz singer and a product of Tift County schools. The entertainment was first class.

The foundation’s music chair will benefit specific school music programs that benefit students. Teachers may submit applications for the grants to the foundation.

The new chair is in honor of Virginia Tift Brumby, a granddaughter of Tifton’s founder, Henry Harding Tift. She has had a lifelong love of music and has encouraged and supported musical talent and symphony and opera groups throughout Georgia.

The chair is "endowed to foster excellence in all things musical." The arts are important to our students and our community, and we appreciate our public school system continuing to emphasize and subsidize musical education. A rousing result of that was evident on stage Thursday night.