Fayette County’s band and orchestra students always make a strong showing in competition and this year is no exception with more than 40 students chosen to be in the Georgia Music Educators Association’s (GMEA) All State Band and Orchestra.
Only the best high school musicians in the state are chosen as members and Fayette’s five high schools produced 41 members with eight of them selected for first chair positions. Four additional Fayette students were selected as alternates.
Acceptance into the All State Band and Orchestra is extremely competitive. Thousands of students from around the state participated in the first round of auditions that were held in December.Those auditions determined who would advance to try-outs at the state level.
More than 2,200 students participated in the state auditions held in early January. Both rounds of auditions included the performance of scales, prepared etudes, and sight-reading.
Fayette’s All State Band and Orchestra members are as follows:
Fayette County High – Kalli Edwards, bassoon, 1st chair; Errol Rhoden, tuba, 1st chair; Anthony Weaver, bassoon, 1st chair; Kevin Brown, trombone; Taylor Davis, euphonium; Derek Hornberger, trombone; Zach Leinberger, euphonium; Jonah Negusse, flute; Brianna Simmons, clarinet; Will Talley, trombone;
McIntosh High – Alicia Zamore, Clarinet, 1st chair; Steven Lukehart, Trumpet, 1st chair; Parker Olsen, Percussion, 1st chair; Joey Ciancia, trumpet; Keba Simelane, trumpet; Tyler Lane, horn; Michael Dehan; Natalie Hung, flute; Emily Shuler, bassoon; Rachel Anders, flute; Pearce Kramer, clarinet;
Sandy Creek High – Killiam Vidourek, French horn;
Starr’s Mill High – Elise Conti, oboe; Jocelyn Gao, flute; Maddy Hammond, oboe; Morgan Hebert, trumpet; Ricky Macke, alto saxophone; Morgan Myers, oboe; Will Sanders, trombone; Claudia Wahoski, flute; Lucille Wang, flute;
Whitewater High – Matthew Brown, euphonium, 1st chair; Austin Newland, tuba, 1st chair; Ethan Boos, trumpet; Megan Castaneda, clarinet; Savannah English, oboe; Makenzie Hill, oboe; Joelle Hitechew, horn; Jocelyn Jackson, flute; Nicholas Keonig, clarinet; Todd Perry, tuba.
The All State Band and Orchestra alternates are Jordan Howard, oboe, Fayette County High; Abby Knox, flute, McIntosh High; Evan Page, trumpet, Whitewater High; and Leslie Sullivan, contra-clarinet, Whitewater High.
The GMEA All State Band and Orchestra will perform at the All State Festival Feb.26-28 at The Classic Center in Athens.
