Beginner Solo Contest Results

Last Saturday, members of the Beginner’s Band Ensemble competed in the Beginner Solo Contest at BMS. Professional judges listened and rated their solos our students have been preparing individually for the past couple of months. Students could earn a medal with a First Division Superior rating, a ribbon for a Second Division Excellent rating, or just their comment sheet for a Third Division Average rating. Judges also named Outstanding Performers based on their preference from the solos that went above and beyond.

Out of 81 solos, 55 of them were rated First Division Superior, which is 68% of the total! There were 18 Second Division Excellent ratings, and 8 Third Division Average ratings. Please join us in congratulating the following 10 students who were named Outstanding Performers:

  1. Allison M., flute
  2. Lacey M., flute
  3. Eian J., clarinet
  4. Samuel S., alto saxophone
  5. Ethan V., trumpet
  6. Eli H., horn
  7. Grant K., horn
  8. Shanyah C., trombone
  9. Charlotte D., snare drum
  10. William P., mallet percussion

Band Notes Newsletter – Week of February 5

No instruments at school this Thursday & Friday only, but all after school sectionals for advanced students are still happening this Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday. 8th Grade Parent Meeting at Belton HS Monday Night, plus congratulations to our jazz students for their All-Region Jazz Audition results. All this and more in this week’s edition of the Band Notes Newsletter: https://www.smore.com/9m7ea

All-Region Jazz Results

On Friday, members of the Belton MS Jazz Band participated in the TMEA All-Region Jazz Auditions with over 165 other students participating from 15 different Central Texas schools. They’ve been preparing 2 études (musical studies) for the last 2 months, and were judged anonymously by 5-member panels.

I am proud to report that BMS placed 9 students and 2 alternates in the group! From all 4 middle schools in Belton ISD, we secured 20 of the available 42 spots, which is almost half of the total number of students!

These students will get to work with a notable jazz educator on March 2 at Temple HS, and put on a concert that evening along with the High School All-Region Jazz Bands. This is the highest honor a middle school jazz student can achieve!

Please join me in congratulating the following 7th & 8th grade students:

  1. Lillie C., 3rd out 34 alto saxophones, which is 1st Chair in Jazz Band 2 – she is also a 2-Year All-Region Concert Band Member
  2. Jakoby P., 1st out of 20 tenor saxophones, which is 1st Chair in Jazz Band 1 – he is also a 2-Year All-Region Concert Band Member
  3. David M., 1st out of 13 baritone saxophones, which is 1st Chair in Jazz Band 1
  4. Reed V., 2nd out of 31 trumpets, which is 2nd Chair in Jazz Band 1 – he is also an All-Region Concert Band Member
  5. Andy U., 2nd out of 33 trombones, which is 2nd Chair in Jazz Band 1
  6. Ian M., 7th out of 33 trombones, which is 2nd Chair in Jazz Band 2 – he is also an All-Region Concert Band Member
  7. Gia R., 1st of out 15 drummers, which is 1st Chair in Jazz Band 1 – she is a 2-Year All-Region Jazz Band Member AND a 2-Year All-Region Concert Band Member
  8. Lizzie S., 4th out of 15 drummers, which is 2nd Chair in Jazz Band 2
  9. Lani P., 2nd out of 7 vibraphones, which is 1st Chair in Jazz Band 1

We also had 2 additional students who missed the group by only one spot, and who serve as alternates and honorable mention:

  1. Decker B., 11th out of 31 trumpets, which is First Alternate – he is also an All-Region Concert Band Member
  2. Elena J., 11th out of 33 trombones, which is First Alternate – she is also an All-Region Concert Band Member