Band members share the love by selling carnations for Valentine’s Day

Freshman Zack Kunkle, sophomore Bethany Earp, and junior Marissa Tovalin help percussion director Gabe Hernandez put together gift bags to be sold during the week of Valentine’s Day. Click here for more info.

ATSBB All-region band results: 26 students advanced, 3 of them are in Middle school

Monday Dec. 10, the All-Region Band competition was held. Twenty-six students made it; three of them are in middle school.

“I am really proud of the kids, they did a great job,” band director Suzanne Rhynes said.

* Students who were first chair in their sections

** Students who qualified to move on to the Area auditions for All-State Band

Flute

• Amy Rousselot */**
• Kailey Bouten **
• Marianne Hill**
• Jessica Avery
• Lauren Morgan

Oboe

• Chancey Kendall

Bassoon

• Megan Sitzman*/**
• Kale Murry

Clarinet

• Clayton Richardson*/**
• Brittani Beggs **
• Alyson Drennan**
• Sarah Blevins

Bass Clarinet

• Caitlin Long
• Elizabeth Padron

Baritone Saxophone

• Connor Brockman*/**

Trumpet

• Clarissa Martinez**
• Madalyn Mapp

Euphonium

• Chris Lujan

Percussion

• Isaiah Flores*/**
• Marissa Tovalin**
• Bethany Earp**
• Briana Pando**
• Ben Brockman
• Cutter Gillaspy
• Matthew Morgan
• Carisa Rodriquez

Band marches at Area UIL competition

The band placed second at the West Texas Tournament of Bands and earned a Division 1 at District University Interscholastic League Marching Competition Oct. 13. This meant that they advanced to Area Oct. 27. Area was the deciding factor whether band advanced to State.

They practiced extra after school as well as marched each morning. Before contest senior Kailey Bouten said,

“Even if we don’t make it, we have improved on our playing and marching skills and have grown closer as a band.”

Bouten believed that when they went to Area, even though they did not advance to State, that they came together and did their best.

Marching band makes it to Area

GHS band earned second at West Texas Tournament of Bands and Division 1 at District; which meant they advanced to Area in Lubbock.

“I think yes, even if we don’t make it (to State), we have improved on our playing and marching skills and grown closer as a band,” senior Kailey Bouten said before the contest.
Bouten believed that at Area, they came together and were the best they could be.

Gold medals awarded to ensembles and soloists

The band won 44 gold ensemble medals, 21 gold soloist medals, 1 silver soloist medal, and 1 bronze soloist medal at the Region 6 class 1A- 4A UIL Solo and Ensemble contest held in Monahans Feb. 4.

Twelve of the gold medal soloists and every ensemble member qualified for the Texas State Solo and Ensemble Contest to be in Pflugerville, Texas on May 28.  The qualifying ensemble members and soloists:

Flute Chior-seniors Isabel Reyes and Shelby Rogers, juniors Katie Cherry and Marianne Hill, and freshman Jessica Avery

Clarinet Quartet- juniors Jackie Baeza, and sophomores Sarah Blevins, Chelsea Junker, and Airelle Urias

Woodwind Trio I- senior Bailee Hall, and juniors Kailey Bouten and Clayton Richardson

Woodwind Trio II- juniors Haley Kemp and Katie Cherry, and sophomore Brittani Beggs

Saxophone Quartet I- senior Tabitha Fletcher and Valerie Sotelo, sophomore Derick Parsley, and freshman Tirso Reyes

Saxophone Quartet II- seniors Marisa Ramos and Valerie Sotelo, sophomore Connor Brockman, and freshman Tirso Reyes

Trumpet Quartet- junior Alexis Smith, and sophomores Clarissa Martinez, Payden Merryman, and Junior Valenzuela

Horn Quartet- senior Hannah Rhynes, sophomores Anna Abalos and Kelcie Harmon, and freshman Larissa Weaverling

Euphonium Quartet- senior Mike Cooper, junior Sanie Storey, and sophomores Chris Lujan and Anthony Madrid

Percussion Ensemble- seniors Maritza Ramirez, Tony Samarripa, and Eloy Armendariz, junior Juan Miguel Garcia, sophomores Marissa Tovalin and Briana Pando, and freshmen  Bethany Earp and Isaiah Flores

Flute- juniors Amy Rousselot and Kailey Bouten

Oboe- junior Haley Kemp

Bassoon- junior Megan Sitzman

Percussion- seniors Bailee Hall, Eloy Armendariz, and Tony Samarripa, juniors Megan Sitzman and Juan Miguel Garcia, sophomores Gayson Parks and Briana Pando, and freshman Isaiah Flores

Clarinet- juniors Jackie Baeza and Clayton Richardson, and sophomore Sarah Blevins

Bass Clarinet- freshman Allison Smith

Tenor Saxophone- senior Tabitha Fletcher

Tuba- seniors Caleb Weaverling and Mike Cooper, junior Sanie Storey, and freshman Caige Wall

Silver medalist on Flute- Jessica Avery.

Bronze medalist on French Horn- Larissa Weaverling.

Senior Isabel Reyes said that it makes her feel good to be able to go to solo and ensemble again because she knows that they did their best, but it also makes her nervous because their ensemble has received a state medal two years in a row and that adds pressure for them to earn another one this year.

Making the cut

UPDATE- The following students were accepted into the All-State Band. Flute: Amy Rousselot. Clarinet: Clayton Richardson. Bassoon: Megan Sitzman. French Horn: Hannah Rhynes. Percussion: Tony Samarripa. The alternate to All-State Band was Conner Brockman- Baritone Saxophone. These students will participate in the All-State Band February 8-11 in San Antonio.

Special recognition goes to Amy Rousselot and Megan Sitzman For placing first chair in their sections.

Dec. 12, Greenwood hosted the ATSSB All Region Band Auditions. The following students were selected for the band. Flute: Amy Rousselot, Marianne Hill, Lauren Morgan, Shelby Rogers, Kailey Bouten. Oboe: Haley Kemp. Bassoon: Megan Sitzman, Bailee Hall. Clarinet: Clayton Richardson, Allyson Drennan, Brittani Beggs. Bass Clarinet: Sarah Blevins. Alto Clarinet: Taylor Keller. Contra-bass clarinet: Nick Osburn. Tenor Saxophone: Tabitha Fletcher, Valerie Sotelo. Baritone Saxophone: Connor Brockman, Tirso Reyes. Trumpet: Clarissa Martinez, Alexis Smith, Ashely Nelson. French Horn: Hannah Rhynes. Bass Trombone: Taylor Smith. Euphonium: Chris Lujan. Tuba: Caleb Weaverling, Derek Fitzpatrick, Sanie Storey, Mike Cooper. Percussion: Tony Samarripa, Eloy Armendariz, Briana Pando, Maritza Ramirez, Bethany Earp, Marisa Tovalin, Grayson Parks, Isaiah Flores.

Megan Sitzman, Nick Osburn, Tabitha Fletcher,and Hannah Rhynes placed first chair in their section.

The ATSSB All Region Band will perform at Midland High School on Jan. 21.

Amy Rousselot, Clayton Richardson, Megan Sitzman, Connor Brockman, and Hannah Rhynes will perform at the Wagner Noel Forforming Arts Center on Jan. 14.

Getting word on the street for Euphoric

Euphoric is a band that was put together about a year ago. The music the group plays is composed of heavy metal grunge, but the members never want to focus completely on one sound.

“We didn’t really choose to play this genre, it just kind of happened,” band member and senior  Hayden Ledford said.

The band members are Chad Brown who is a drummer and screamer, Ledford with lead vocals, Clayton Jasper as lead guitarist and back up vocals, DJ Rioz  rhythm guitarist, and Evan Bouten who is a bassist.

“We don’t always play or do the same thing, we switch it up sometimes,” Ledford said.

Originally, the band had four different names. That changed when Rioz came up with the name Euphoric. He came up with the name when watching a show and a character had asked a man how he felt, and he answered back “euphoric.” And so the name was established.

So far, Euphoric has mostly played at house parties with friends. The band plans on going as far as they can, and they want to change the world with their music.

A message the group is trying to send through the band is:

“Live euphorically, live simple, and don’t be materialistic,” Ledford said.

Christmas comes to band; concert Dec. 11

The Christmas concert for all the bands will start at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 11. It will be in the auditorium. Admission is free, and there will be a silent auction out in the hallway during the concert.

The auction will start before the concert and bidding will end before the last piece the high school plays.

The items auctioned are donated. Money raised will help pay for band functions, tuxedos, and concert dresses.

Waking Kings Within to put on a show

Three juniors and a senior are in a band, “WKW,” otherwise known as “Waking Kings Within.” The band is Christian rock, sort of like a mix of “Paramore” and “A Day to Remember.” They sing this type of music to reach out to the kids who are searching for God.

WKW will perform at Rocktober Fest, Keep Midland Beautiful, The Ground Floor, and Rock The Desert. Those interested can visit the band on Facebook.com, page link www.facebook.com/wakingkingswithinband.com. At Facebook, fans can support the band, and they can “like” the page to get them more recognition.

Wanting a Christian-based band, junior Austin Almager and his friend EJ, who goes to school in Midland, created the name. Almager and junior John Adame actually went ahead and got the band started. The people now in the band are juniors Adame, Almager, and Weston Taylor, and senior Jasmine Lahti. EJ is not part of the band anymore; he’s joined another group.

Almager has been involved with music his whole life. He started playing the guitar in eighth grade when his friends motivated him by playing the guitar around him and being really good at it. He is also a songwriter with musical talents such as playing the guitar and singing, which leads to his strong role in his band, said other members.

“It takes hard work, and once you have a goal, try your best to reach it. Let no one tell you that you can’t do anything,” Almager said.

“Don’t be ashamed of your faith, glorify God, and rock out man,” Jeremy Depoyster said. He is the vocalist and guitarist for the Christian band “The Devil Wears Prada.” This is Almager’s favorite quote because it motivated him to better himself in music and to try to reach his full potential.

Adame, a vocalist, said that the fact that he can praise his God and do the thing he loves most means a lot to him. Singing in front of a big crowd gets intimidating, he said, but after a while he can let loose and adapt to having fun performing. Adame went to a concert once and got motivated by a worship leader who said he was talented, and he took that opportunity to worship God and use his gift of music to reach out to others.

“For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not harm you, to give you hope and a future,” Jeremiah 29:11. This quote is Adame’s favorite because it holds him to being strong in God’s word.

 

UIL marching contest brings more honor on the band

Scoring a Division I ranking, Greenwood’s marching band has continued to earn awards. This was in the latest University Interscholastic League band marching district competition on Saturday, Oct. 22. Seven bands competed including Seminole (who got a I), Big Spring (who also scored a I), Monahans (I), Fork Stockton (III), Andrews (II), Pecos (IV), and Lamesa (I).

“[To score a 1 you have to] be awesome, and we were, [so] we made a one,” Gabe Hernandez, assistant band director, said.

Next Page »