Story by student reporter, Mikayla Jordan
Thomas County Central High School Bands members claimed 53 positions in a competition to sort the best from the rest.
Students participated in District Honor Band tryouts Saturday, Dec. 10 at Crisp County High School. The TCCHS group was the largest number selected from any other participating area high school band.
“I'm beyond excited that TCCHS and our band walked out of the auditions with the most people from any band in our region to make it into our region DHB,” senior percussionist Ethan Hopper said. “It gives me great honor that I get to play and perform knowing our band brought the most members to DHB this year.”
District Honor Band auditions and its culminating event All-State band are supported by the Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA), a group whose mission is to support music education in Georgia. The events work to highlight the talented musicians in the state after putting them through a competitive audition process.
“Preparing and working toward DHB promotes true musicianship which is a main goal of the ‘Best of the Nest’,” director Michael Thomas said about why DHB tryouts are so encouraged at TCCHS. “Each student has scales and materials that must be performed in a competitive audition system. The scores are tallied and the very best are recognized to perform within the District Two GMEA Honor Bands.”
Thirty-two young musicians from TCCHS are recommended to attend the second round of auditions in early 2017, a number that has increased since last year.
A student that advanced to All-State rounds, junior Alyxus McCardle, said she is “looking forward to All-State” and is “extremely proud of each person who made district this year.”
Thomas said there is a “great group of musicians tackling this event,” and the advancing members are already receiving encouragement from their peers.
“For all the people that made it to the second level of tryouts for All-State, I believe that we will all perform well and practice our hearts out to receive the best scores that we can,” Hopper enthused.
The second round of auditions will be held in Warner Robbins on Jan. 7, 2017.
11th-12th grades District Honor Band 2016-2017 members from TCCHS
*Kendra Anderson – French Horn
Doren Barrientes – Alto Saxophone
*J’Harre Bush – Trombone
*Maria Davis – Trumpet
*Madison Everett – Flute
*Skylar Gandy – Percussion
*Bret Hendricks – Flute
*Ethan Hopper – Percussion (first chair)
*Lillie Horton – French Horn
*Austin Kelley – Bari-Saxophone (first chair)
*Hailey Kiser – Flute
*Celia Kornegay – Flute
*Eli Kosciw – Trumpet & French Horn (first chair)
*Logan Leik – Trombone
*Connor McCardel – Euphonium (first chair)
*Alyxus McCardle – French Horn
*Zoey Merritt – Flute
*Michael Moody – Trombone
*Gabriel Nieves – Trombone (first chair)
*Loren Osgatharp – French Horn
Cole Redfearn – Tuba
Erinn Reed – Flute
Beth Sharpe – Oboe (first chair)
Caitlin Simmons - Clarinet
Sierra Stephens – Trumpet
*Justin Strickland – Trumpet
Zarah Varney – Clarinet
Kennedy Ward – Clarinet
*Chandler Watson – Trombone
*Aaron Westbrook – Percussion
Alysa Yates – Flute
(*denotes – passed to second round All-State)
9th-10th grades District Honor Band 2016-2017 members from TCCHS
*Caitlyn Atkinson – Flute
Will Baillargeon – Alto Saxophone
Briana Cook – Alto Saxophone
*Michelle Cumbest – Euphonium (first chair)
*Michaela Gandy – Flute
*Ann Guo – Clarinet
*Meredith Hurst – Trumpet
Chelsey Lawler – Clarinet
Isabel Merritt – Clarinet
*Caleb Moore – Tuba & Trombone (first chair)
*Olivia Osgatharp – Trombone (first chair)
Emily Owens – French Horn
David Piland – Tuba
*Mackenzie Sellers – Trumpet
Zach Sharpe – French Horn
*Joshua Stephens – French Horn
*Eric Webb – Bassoon (first chair) & Alto Saxophone
Mary Beth Wise – Flute
William Bufford – Trombone
Christin Connelly – Trombone
Tamia Favors – Trombone
(*denotes passed to second round All-State)