From '86 to now: Bay High alum composes marimba piece for talented student's big moment

- Bay High student Silas Dyer premiered a new marimba piece, "Somewhat Disoriented," at the school's spring concert.
- The piece was composed specifically for Dyer by Dave Schwartz, a Bay High alumnus.
- Schwartz was inspired to write the piece after seeing social media posts about Dyer's marimba skills.
During Bay High's Spring concert on May 12, Silas Dyer took center stage to premiere a brand-new marimba song written just for him.
The piece "Somewhat Disoriented," composed by Dave Schwartz of Panama City Beach, is filled with both "powerful moments and some delicate moments," the young percussionist said during a phone interview. In all, the composition takes about six minutes to play, Dyer added.

Schwartz, himself a Class of '86 Tornado, said he drew inspiration for the song after seeing Kelly Dyer's social media posts about her son's marimba talents.
"He (Schwartz) just showed me the sheet music one day and I started reading it. It was a really cool moment," the high school marimba player said. "Just a really neat opportunity that I know is very rare."
The performance at the Barbara W. Nelson Fine Arts Center marked not just a celebration of music, but also a bridge between the Class of '86 and '26.
To see a video of the performance, click on this story at newsherald.com