Max Velarde plays vibes with the CMS Advanced Band during the Spring Concert. GINI DAVIS – THE CRESWELL CHRONICLE
Creswell Middle School Beginning, Advanced and Jazz band students demonstrated how much their skills have evolved during their Spring Concert and Awards, held May 17 in the school gym.
All three bands are directed by Sandi Green.
”This is a very exciting time for us,” Green said of CMS musicians’ final performance of the school year. ”What a great group of kids.”
The Beginning Band, made up primarily of sixth graders, performed ”Raiders March,” ”Zombie Dance” and the ever-popular ”Monster Rock.”
”It’s so gratifying to hear the growth in this group from the Winter Concert,” Green said.
The Advanced Band performed ”Moai,” ”Three Irish Folksongs” and ”Shipwreck Cove.”
”It’s kind of hard to believe these kids have only been playing for two or three years,” Green said.
The Jazz Band performed ”Sway”; ”Groove Merchant,” featuring solos by Gianna Ross on trombone and Sophia Zitting on trumpet; and ”Watermelon Man,” with soloists Lillian Heltman-Hogg on alto sax, Kylah Harris on tenor sax, Brielle Brick on flute, Ayden Stubbs on bari sax and Carter Kruger on tenor sax.
The group closed their energetic set with ”Choo Choo Ch’Boogie,” featuring a sax solo by Chris Culp.
Outstanding Musician certificates were presented to: eighth graders Gonzalo Cardenas, Brielle Brick, Wyatt Petrasek, Sophia Zitting, Corbin Allison, Abbe Grubbs, Ayden Stubbs, Carter Kruger and Lillian Heltman-Hogg; seventh graders Max Velarde, Chris Culp, Emily Scott, Cheyenne Cross and Gianna Ross; and sixth graders Jayden Apker, Gracie Brown, Kimberlee Kelsey, Jennalyn Kruger, Angelo Latona, Harold Pinckney, Trinity Hepner, Brock Stubbs, Roman Zitting and Tyler Pratt.
Most Improved certificates went to: eighth graders Tyler Brainard, Andrew Smathers and Audrey Hecker; and seventh graders Savanna Ross, Daphne Ulmer, Jack Nguyen and Elisha Powell.
Eighth grader Sophia Zitting was also presented with a Leadership Award plaque. ”Sophia has been a serious leader, a serious trumpet player,” Green said. ”She’s been a core member of the band program here for the past three years.”
”It’s always such a beautiful thing to see how far these student musicians have come since the beginning of the year,” said Creswell Music Boosters President Mandy Hoggard. ”Continued thanks to the community for their support for the music program at the Creswell schools.”
