On April 22-23, two Glencoe-Silver Lake band students representing the seventh-grade and concert bands will be members of the 2017 Minnesota Band Directors Association (MBDA) state level honor bands held at Chanhassen High School. Students are selected to the band through a competitive recorded audition that was submitted this past December. This is the fifth consecutive year that GSL will be represented at the state level.
Seventh-grade band member Emma Gepson (trumpet) was selected to the 6-8 State Honor Band. There were 281 musicians from 68 schools who auditioned for the band. There will be 10 trumpets in the ensemble.
Tenth grader Leah Bettcher (bassoon), of the GSL Concert Band was selected to the 9-10 State Honor Band. There were 241 auditions received for this band — three bassoons were selected to the band.
Participating students will have the opportunity to work with some of the finest music educators in the state as their section coaches. The 9-10 Band will be guest conducted by Dr. James Patrick Miller of Gustavus Adolphus College, and the 6-8 Band will be conducted by John Lace, retired director of bands from Anoka High School.
The honor band program is an ongoing project of MBDA, a professional organization of band directors representing programs of all grade levels from throughout the state of Minnesota. The mission of MBDA is to assist in the development of band directors and band programs in schools, colleges and communities.
Links:
[1] http://www.glencoenews.com/category/section/news/people-page