Hays High School’s recognized band members include (back, left to right) District Band members Sam Simoneau, Tanner Murphy, Melyssa Harvell, Chris Hackworth, Josh Gonzalez; (2nd row, left to right) District Band members Ryan Edgel (also Region Jazz Band), Claire Vladyka, James Corbett, Cole Smith, Ricky Bracamontes; Not pictured: Tyler McComb; (3rd row, left to right) Region Band members Madeline Finchum, Ashley Loosier, Ursula Clarence, Brandon Baker, Reid Johnson, and (front, left to right) Advancing Region Band members Pedro Balderas and John Wallgren. (Photos by Jim Cullen)
The Lehman High School band contingent of District and Region band members includes (back, left to right) District Band members David Rangel, Jordan Longoria; (center, left to right) Region Band members Caleb Moreno, Andres Ojeda, Tyler Thormahlen; (front, left to right) Region Band members Josue Moreno, Angelica Solis, Gabriel Doria, Jared Dunn; Not pictured: Region Band members Sierra Herrera, Lauren Vasquez.
by JIM CULLEN
In the latest refrain of a long and familiar story, members of the Lehman and Hays high school bands reaped a slew of individual 2011 District and Region Band honors. In recent Austin auditions, the Joey Lucita-directed Lobos scored nine Region Band slots and the Tony Gibbs-directed Rebels eight more, each of the programs qualifying two to advance to Area auditions for the State Band next month. Thirteen more student musicians took District Band honors, 11 of those from Hays.
Lehman High School junior Josue Moreno, a junior B-flat clarinet player, and Tyler Thormahlen, a sophomore on the French horn, are the Lobos’ representatives to the Area auditions for State. Hays High School’s John Wallgren and Pedro Balderas also advance to the auditions, Wallgren on the clarinet and Balderas on the alto saxophone. Balderas had the additional honor of claiming 1st chair on the Region Band.
In addition to Moreno and Thormahlen, Lehman’s Region Band showing included Jared Dunn on the B-flat trumpet, Angelica Solis on flute, Andres Ojeda and Caleb Moreno on trumpet, Sierra Herrera and Lauren Vasquez on bass clarinet and Gabriel Doria on the E-flat clarinet. In addition to Wallgren and Balderas, the Hays High School contingent of Region Band members included Ashley Loosier and Madeline Finchum on flute, Ursula Clarence on clarinet, Reid Johnson on contra-bass clarinet and Brandon Baker in percussion. Ryan Edgel scored a chair on the Region Jazz Band with his alto sax.
Lehman’s Jordan Longoria and David Rangel joined the District Band on bass trombone and tuba, respectively. Hays High placed 10 on the District Band, including French horns Tyler McComb, Melyssa Harvell and Josh Gonzalez, trumpets Cole Smith and James Corbett, Claire Vladyka on clarinet, James Corbett on baritone sax, Tanner Murphy on trombone, Sam Simoneau on euphonium, Ricky Bracamontes in percussion and Ryan Edgel on alto sax.
