5 Freshmen Selected To Freshmen, High School Region Bands; 4 Wildcat Band Members Advance to Area Band Auditions
In what can only be described as an unusual year, Texas music organizations worked to find ways to still hold annual music events for students. Sulphur Springs High School Wildcat Band members have also worked hard to meet the challenges posed by those changes, which this year included virtual auditions for All-Region Bands.
The hard work paid off with 16 making the Freshmen Region Band and 15 making the High School All-Region Band. Five freshmen made both bands Four Wildcat Band members played well enough to advance from All-Region to the Area audition as well.
For these competitions, Texas Music Educators Association worked to create an online audition process where students recorded themselves on their prepared audition music. In year’s past, these have always been in-person, head-to-head performances. After the head band director certified that each recording was legitimate, the students’ audition recordings were sent digitally and anonymously to a panel of judges who adjudicated each recording.
“The students still worked on the audition music as always and had stiff competition.” said Spencer Emmert, head director. “Sulphur Springs HS Band had great results in this unique setting for Region! The students didn’t let these different circumstances change their focus on excelling at the Region level.”
Students from TMEA Region 4, that stretches from west of Sulphur Springs all the way to Texarkana, submitted audition recordings.
“I felt like, since students didn’t have to personally attend an audition this year, there was even more competition,” Emmert said.
The first round of auditions were for our Freshmen Region Band. Students named to the group were Jasmin Yanez, Sara Voss, Payton Willis, Jeremy Resendiz, Lauren Maynard, Levi Caton, Ty Robinson, Adam Arnecke, Janeth Rivera, Catherine Starzyk, Caroline Prickette, Kate Hurley, Kami White, Alexis Villarino, Jonas Mejia and Abraham Lopez.
The High School All-Region auditions came next. These auditions have the potential for advancement to the AREA level to audition for a seat in the Texas All-State Band. Students named to the TMEA Region 4 Band were Avery Moss, Cameron Beard, Triston Stewart, Jakson Medelline, Joel Villarino, Matthew Sherman, John Moser, Catherine Starzyk, Caroline Prickette, Kate Hurley, Kami White, Alex Botello, Levi Caton, Tyler Burnett and Anthony Arroyo.
Freshmen students lauded for earning a place in both the Freshmen and HS Region Bands were Levi Caton, Kate Hurley, Caroline Prickette, Catherin Starzyk and Kami White.
Students who place at the very top of their instrument class to advance onto the Area level were Cameron Beard on clarinet, Tyler Burnett on trombone, Matthew Sherman on alto saxophone and Joel Villarino on horn. These students will record an audition for the Area level on Tuesday, January 12, for a chance at the Texas All-State Band placement.
Congratulations to all the students for their achievements in making the All-Region Bands, particularly those placing in both and those advancing to the Area.
