by JIM CULLEN
Those in the community familiar with Hays CISD’s awards-heavy high school band programs know that the foundations on which those programs draw are the district’s middle school band programs. More evidence of that fact surfaced again recently as 56 HCISD middle school band students scored District Band honors, 24 of them earning chairs high enough to qualify to audition for the Region XVIII Band.
Three of the district bands – those from Barton, Chapa and Wallace – went to the Zone 2 auditions for District Band at Austin ISD’s Paredes Middle School. Dahlstrom’s Mustangs were placed in the region’s Zone 1 and auditioned at AISD’s Covington Middle School. Those students qualifying to advance to the Region auditions were headed for Covington for that level.
Each of the local schools’ directors had ample cause to applaud their students’ efforts. At Chapa Middle School, Director Eddie Briskey’s Cougars scored 13 District Band chairs, almost triple their 2010 showing, with six of that number qualifying to advance to Region, doubling last year’s head count to Region. “We are very proud of all of our students who auditioned,” he said, adding they had all shown “a lot of hard work and determination.”
Dahlstrom Director Leroy Gerdes saw his Mustangs continue a long tradition of excellence, 14 of them attaining District Band honors, eight of those advancing to Region. Gerdes noted, “This was a very intense competition and I’m very proud of all of our students!”
At Barton, Director Bennie Sayger’s Bobcats placed sixteen on the District Band and five of that group move on to Region. Sayger said he was “very pleased” with his students’ effort, adding that they “all represented Barton and themselves at the highest level.” Citing the increasingly keen competition in the region, Sayger says the degree of difficulty at reaching District or Region Band is increasing at a like pace.
Director James Malik exuded pride in his District Band contingent, 13 strong (with two of those grabbing first chairs), with five advancing to Region. Malik said his Rangers “worked extremely hard,” adding, “we are very proud of their accomplishments.” The Rangers director describes watching students gain mastery of difficult music as “incredible” and says he credits his honorees as being among “the best of the best.”
Wallace Rangers making the District Band include Lila Ramos, Angel Ramirez-Giron, Tyra Williams, Coby Moseley, Omar Barker, Brittany Felch, Melyssa Avarez, Loren Arispe, Tony Reyes (first chair trumpet), Tatum Batman, Madison Batman (first chair horn), Aaron Flores and TJ Kudjoe. Of that group, Ramos, Ramirez-Giron, Reyes, and Tatum and Madison Batman advance.
Barton’s 16-member District contingent includes Emily Loosier, Madison Sansom, Lois Bronaugh, Emma Partain, Jennifer Herrington, Loryn Hudson, Meg Ballay, Charles Cauley, Luke Eddleman, Bryan Madden, Adriana Rivera, Emily Cadenhead, Michaela Pettit, Alexandria Collins, Josh Kinkead and Avery Ostrand. Advancing to Region are Loosier, Herrington, Hudson, Madden and Rivera.
Dahlstrom District Band qualifiers include Stephanie Lewis, Susana Mena, Brianne Deleza, Sabrina Guerra, Lillian Bonin, McKenna Murphy, Jordan Weaver, Gracie Hough, Austin Uresti, Logan Pool, Pat Chida, Chris Deleza, Sarah Ortiz and Ryan Peed. Guerra, Bonin, Murphy, Hough, Uresti, Pool, Chida and Chris Deleza advance to Region.
Chapa students making District include Jessica Barber, Jonathan Sheckler, Briana Gonzalez, Daniela Arriaga, Andres Garza, Josh Reyna, Lopy Huang, Victoria Gonzalez, Bailey Nance, Savannah Bryson, Tenley Lehman, Ricky Coker and Cassie McCool. Victoria Gonzalez, Nance, Bryson, Lehman, Coker and McCool advance to Region.
