Special concert to honor Don Lawrence

A special concert honoring Columbia Falls musician and composer Don Lawrence is slated this month at the University of Montana.

The Nov. 22 show will feature three high school bands and two UM Jazz bands. The show will feature original compositions by Lawrence.

The Columbia Falls jazz band the Columbians are one of the high school bands set to perform. The other two high school bands are from Spokane’s Mount Spokane and Hanford, Wash. Lawrence has ties with band directors Scott Jones of Mount Spokane and Chris Newbury of Hanford.

The concert starts at 7 p.m., and there will be a reception for Lawrence afterward with additional musical performances, which will include Columbia Falls High School players Austin Brooks and Mason Gedlaman.

Lawrence was a music teacher at Columbia Falls for 25 years and founded the Don Lawrence Orchestra.