Dinner and a Concert

It was a musical, and delicious, occasion in Malta last week as schools poured into the city for the Malta Middle School Music Festival which preceded a night of Jazz and fine dining at this year's Malta High School Culinary Arts Valentine's Dinner and Jazz Combo Concert.

Malta School's Band Director Erik Engebretson said nearly 300 students attended the February 11 Middle School Music Festival including Phillips County's Malta, Saco, and Whitewater Schools who marked the 20th anniversary of the event.

"The first year we held it was the year the new school opened," Engebretson said. "We didn't have as many events as last year, but it was still very busy."

The music began at 8 a.m. and ran until about 5:30 p.m.

"We also had a good turnout from parents, both those living here in town and those from out of town," Engebretson said.

Ahead of the final bit of music in Malta last week was the 5th Annual MHS Culinary Arts Valentine's Dinner hosted by Becky Bruce's class. A total of nine students prepared the nights meal in the school cafeteria and accommodated nearly 60 diners.

The meal featured several appetizers - including sausage wanton starts - corn chowder, homemade bread and buns, and the main dish of the night, pulled pork, was followed by dessert featuring five different types of cheesecake.

MHS Freshman Skylie Lefdahl said she enjoyed the culinary arts class so much in middle school that she elected to take it again this year. Of all the things she has learned to prepare so far in her culinary classes, she said salsa (made with vegetables from the school garden) was likely the most difficult.

"There were just a lot of ingredients and steps," Lefdahl said.

Malta's Rosemary S. Veseth was one of the nearly 60 diners at the meal and before the concert gave the PCN her review of the night's meal.

"It was all very, very good," Veseth said. "We also got astute service from our server, Malachi Davis. It was a wonderful meal, and this will be a wonderful concert."

The next Culinary Arts Dinner is April 2 ahead of this year's spring play.

The exclamation point on the Malta music madness was the MHS Jazz Combo in "Malta High's Night at the Jazz Club Concert #42."

Musicians on the night were Reese Sjostrom, Blake Chambers, Raina Mortenson, Tyler Arnold, Jillian O'Brien, Payton Clausen, Cordel Salsbery, and Mr. Engebretson, who filled in for Kelbee Denham who was busy getting surgery as the band played on.