Music is all around us and something the Minot community does at its very best.

This is the season of concerts and other programs from elementary, middle school and senior high school students to college plus numerous other vocal and instrumental groups performing.

The Minot community has many fine music instructors, many of them focusing on high-level music scores for the concerts presented. We are very fortunate in this community for concerts of this high-caliber.

Earlier this month hundreds of students from schools across North Dakota and eastern Montana were selected by auditions to attend the 41st Annual Northwest Festival of Music at Minot State University. Students spent two days on the MSU campus to learn more about music from local and guest conductors culminating with final concerts with a repertoire of high-level music.

About two weeks ago the MSU Choir performed the North Dakota premiere of Luciano Berio’s “Magnificat,” a piece composed 70 years ago in 1949. The MSU vocal group became the first to have a public recording available. In addition, the MSU Music Division’s choir, led by Emerson Eads, was featured on Norman Lebrecht’s international blog which covers major news in classical music. It is considered the world’s most read cultural blog with more than a million visitors a month.

Many concerts and other programs will be performed in the next weeks through the Christmas season. Whether it’s a school or college-related concert, the Minot Symphony Orchestra, Minot Chamber Chorale, Heritage Singers or other community groups as well as in area communities, it’s an opportunity for everyone to take a break from the fast-paced season and enjoy the music. But also enjoy the music all year long when these groups are perfoming.