Middle school musicians join Honor Band Festival

LAKE STEVENS — Fourteen musicians from Haller and Post middle schools participated recently in the Mount Pilchuck Music Educators Honor Band Festival. The students joined an 87-member ensemble, attended two rehearsals and recorded a live CD, all on one day, Jan. 29, at Cavelero Mid-High in Lake Stevens.

February 24, 2009 5:08 pm

Students were chosen based on skill and abilities through a point system and selected to fill the instrumentation needs of the honor band.

The MPMEA Honor Band was conducted by guest conductor, Bill Klouse, who has taught music at all levels in Washington for more than 30 years.

“Klouse is a much sought after music adjudicator and clinician,” said the band teacher, Joe Horsak.

“He is the recipient of the 2002 and the 2006 Outstanding Music Educator for the Commencement Bay region. In 2007 he was named the Washington State WMEA/WIAA Music Educator of the Year. This year he was honored as one of the National Federation of High Schools Music Educator of the year,” Horsak said.

The Mount Pilchuck Music region reaches from Stanwood to Darrington and from Monroe to Mill Creek and Everett. The annual honor band festival allows highest achieving student musicians the opportunity to rehearse and perform with other serious students from the region.

“We only had two practices for honor band and everyone was shocked that we sounded like we had a long time to practice,” clarinetist Dani Dietz said.

“It challenged me and I did things that I couldn’t do before,” said trumpeter Austin Hughs.

“It was a lot of fun,” Rosie Boyle said.

The band directors for Haller and Post, Kipp Otterness and Joe Horsak, agreed.

“It was really inspiring for everyone.”

Honor Band participants from Haller and Post Middle School include:

Flute — Abbie Basher, Rachael Wilson.

Clarinet — Danjela Dietz, Sheltyn Rose.

Alto Clarinet — Jacob Hardy.

Bass Clarinet — Kendra Ferrier.

Alto Saxophone — Rosie Boyle.

Tenor Saxophone —Josh Meyrick, Christine Serica.