20 from area perform on TKMEA Honor Band
Porterville area schools were well represented on the Buck Shaffer Stage inside the Porterville Memorial Auditorium Saturday during the 2018 Tularekings Music Educators Association’s Honor Band concert.
Of the 70 musicians selected for the junior high honor band, nine came from Porterville area schools, including five from Rockford School and two from Pixley Middle School.
Representing Rockford were Jessica Mae Tolentino on flute, Andrew Duran on alto saxophone, Logan Fields and Joe Rodriguez on trumpet, and Dominic Dees on euphonium.
Pixley Middle School was represented by Itzamara Avila on clarinet and Alexa Zuniga on alto saxophone (principal chair).
Jasmine Garay on clarinet represented Pioneer Middle School, and Sequoia Middle School was represented by Hannah Craig on clarinet.
The junior high honor band performed “Swashbuckler’s March” by Mark Williams, “Bonsai Tree” by Julie Giroux, “River Rendezvous” by Michael Sweeney, and “Fanfare of Joy,” a reworking of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony arranged by Travis Weller.
The junior high honor band was conducted by Lisa Butts, who served 33 years as an educator and 19 as director of bands at Hanford West High School. She is currently a freelance trumpet player and plays with several groups, including the Jazz Composer’s Orchestra and the Hal Magnie Big Band.
The high school honor band was 85 members strong this year, and featured 11 musicians from area high schools, including seven from Strathmore High School.
Strathmore High was represented by Jana Bridi (principal chair), Ryan Rusch (second chair), and Sydney Myatt on flute, Sandra Chavez (principal chair) on oboe, Ethan Nguyen (principal chair) and Trevor Grant (second chair) on bassoon, and Dagny Mcintosh on clarinet.
Dylan Benander represented Summit Charter Collegiate Academy on clarinet, Monache High was represented by Nayeli Flores on flute, Carlin Rodelo represented Granite Hills High on flute, and Darcy Sarr represented Porterville High on french horn.
The high school honor band performed “Chorale and Toccata” by Jack Stamp, “Ave Maria” by Franz Biebl (arranged by Robert Cameron), “Strange Humors” by John Mackey, and “Galop” by Dmitiri Shostakovich.
They were conducted by Shannon Kitelinger, director of bands at San Diego State University. He conducts the university’s Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band, and Concert Band, teaches courses in conducting and wind literature, and serves as the undergraduate music advisor.