Middle school chorus and band students shine during spring semester
Middle school chorus and band had a successful spring semester filled with many achievements and special performances, including their spring concerts on May 9 and 11, respectively.
Wesleyan fifth and sixth grade chorus earned all “superior” rankings at Large Group Performance evaluation in March. Students sang a Welsh song called “Manx Lullaby” and an arrangement of the song “Kookaburra.”
“The judges were particularly impressed by our rhythmic energy, balance, and expression,” said Meg Foster, director of fine arts and middle school chorus director.
In April, the group competed in the Southern Star Music Festival and earned straight gold ratings as well as the Sweepstakes Trophy, earning them the title of “Top Middle School Choral Ensemble” of the weekend. The group celebrated by traveling to Six Flags to attend the Southern Star Awards Ceremony.
Middle school chorus students were recently selected for Elementary Honor Chorus, Sixth Grade Statewide Honor Chorus, and All State Chorus. Elementary Honor Chorus and Sixth Grade Statewide Honor Chorus performers were nominated by Mrs. Foster and prepared five pieces to sing at honor chorus weekend. Students selected for the All State Chorus passed two rounds of rigorous auditions to earn a spot in the top 10 percent of singers in the state! All participated in a weekend full of music-making at the Classic Center in Athens, Georgia.
The following students were selected for Elementary Honor Chorus:
- Hadley Fortune ‘29
- Collins Hussion ‘29
- Nia Pandya ‘29
- Shannon Reding ‘29
The following students were selected for Sixth Grade Statewide Honor Chorus:
- Olivia Justice ‘28
- Juliana Lamas ‘28
- Ariel Rajabi ‘28
- Charlotte Stone ‘28
The following middle school students were selected for All State Chorus:
- Emma Mack '27
Wesleyan band students were nominated for First-Year Honor Band by Ruthie Colegrove, middle school band director. These students performed a concert with other students from Gwinnett County. The following students were selected:
- Beau Boggs ‘28, percussion
- Laura Grace Bush ‘28, flute
- Yuna Cho ‘28, alto saxophone
- Marta Coleman ‘28, clarinet
- Cullen Gailey ‘28, bass clarinet
- Anrai McCullough ‘28, alto saxophone
- Caleb Ross ‘28, trumpet
- Michael Thomas ‘28, tuba
Band students selected for District Band competed with other Gwinnett County students for a spot in the selective band. The following students were selected:
- Ellie Ahn ‘27, flute, 1st chair
- Audrey Foster ‘27, horn, 3rd chair
- Logan Guyer ‘26, baritone saxophone, 1st chair
- Jia Lim ‘27, flute, flute choir
- Larry Men ‘26, tenor saxophone, 1st chair
- Michelle Paik ‘27, flute, 2nd chair
- Karina Thieriot ‘26, clarinet, 14th chair
UGA MidFest is a teacher-nominated event where students are selected by UGA to participate in an honor band. There are four equally leveled bands and one honor band. The following students were selected:
- Ellie Ahn ‘27, flute, honor band
- Audrey Foster ‘27, horn, honor band
- Logan Guyer ‘26, baritone saxophone
- Mike Hughes ‘26, flute
- Larry Men ‘26, tenor saxophone, honor band
- Michelle Paik ‘27, flute, honor band
- Karina Thieriot ‘26, clarinet, honor band
All-State Band is the highest honor for a band student. Students with a high score from District auditions are qualified to audition for All-State. The following students were selected:
- Ellie Ahn ‘27, flute, 2nd chair
- Larry Men ‘26, tenor saxophone, 1st chair
- Michelle Paik ‘27, flute, 4th chair
The advanced band and chorus students both traveled to Disney World March 31-April 3. In addition to enjoying fellowship with friends at the Disney parks, each ensemble attended their own Disney Workshop conducted by a Disney cast member. Each group worked diligently, sight-reading a piece of music in preparation for recording the audio for a music video.
“The clinicians were very impressed by our musicianship, work ethic, efficiency, and tone,” recounted Foster.
Congratulations, middle school chorus and band students, on so many wonderful accomplishments!
