Eighth-grader named to All-State Band

Hayden Robinson, an eighth-grader at Model Middle School was selected for the 2017 All-State Band.

Each year, thousands of students from Georgia go through two rigorous auditions, one in December and a second in January, for a chance to earn a chair in the Georgia Music Educators Association All-State Honor Band.

These auditions consist of scales and a lyrical and technical etude as well as sight reading.

This is the highest honor a band student could achieve as only the top 2 percent of Georgia students who audition make it in.

Hayden was selected on alto saxophone and not only earned his seat, but attained 1st chair in State, claiming the title, ‘best middle school alto saxophonist in the state.’

The Georgia Music Educators Association All-State Honor Band will be held March 2 through 4 at the Classic Center in Athens.All-State Band participants will gather in Athens on the evening of Thursday, March 2 to prepare for a full day Friday of rehearsals and instruction from 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, March 4 will be a day of performing for the musicians.

Concerts for the different divisions will begin at 10 a.m. in the Concert Theatre of the Classic Center and run throughout the day.

The day will conclude with full orchestra performances by the freshmen and sophomore group at 7 p.m. and the juniors and seniors performing at 8 p.m.

Robinson will participate in the GMEA Middle School AllState Band that will be led by guest conductors Chip De Stefano and Cynthia Lansford.

De Stefano is in his 21st year as director of bands at McCracken Middle School in Skokie, Illinois.

De Stefano is also director of the Wind Ensemble at the University of Chicago. Lansford is a decorated retired band director from Texas.