110 students from the Bremen Band program traveled to Plymouth High School to perform in the 2018 ISSMA Solo/Ensemble Festival today, and the results were superb.
Students spent the previous two months preparing solo and ensemble performances for this date. Students performed for the public with a judge, who gave them a rating based on the quality of their performance. Here's some statistics for our performances today, with comparisons from last year.
Bremen Middle School Band:
23 Gold (Superior, Excellent) ratings (14 in 2017)
6 Silver (Good) ratings (11 in 2017)
1 Bronze (Fair) rating (1 in 2017)
Bremen High School Band:
36 Gold (Superior, Excellent) ratings (33 in 2017)
11 Silver (Good) ratings (4 in 2017)
2 Bronze (Fair) ratings (0 in 2017)
1 Participation
Students who enter into the most advanced difficulty category (called Group I) and earn a gold rating qualify to perform at the State Festival in Indianapolis on February 24th. Group I music consists of advanced high school and college level repertoire prepared by our most advanced students. Highlights among this group include:
17 out of 20 solo students who attempted to qualify for state succeeded. (14 last year)
A record number of entries for state (30 entries, 4 ensembles and 17 solos performed by 21 students. (30 entries, 4 ensembles, 14 solos performed by 19 students in 2017)
In 12 years, our second and third ever perfect score for a state finalist entry (Brandon Schmucker on the Snare, and Julianne Lawmaster on the Piccolo). Our first ever was in 2017 (Nicholas Bailey on the baritone)
TWO students qualified for state three times, and one of them on three different instruments!
Brian Hernandez (Baritone solo, Trombone in ensemble, Trombone in ensemble)
Jonathan Blystone (Bassoon solo, Baritone solo, Trombone in ensemble)
Because of the sheer amount of work it takes to qualify for state, I would like to recognize each one of these students for their achievement:
Solos qualifying for State:
Blystone, Jonathan (Senior Baritone)
Blystone, Jonathan (Senior Bassoon)
Harman, Abby (Senior Alto Saxophone)
Hernandez, Brian (Senior Baritone)
Kertai, Brooke (Senior Baritone)
King, Haylee (Senior Flugel)
Kucera, Ashton (Senior Trumpet)
Lawmaster, Julianne (Sophomore Flute)
Lawmaster, Julianne (Sophomore Piccolo)
Leeper, Anna (Junior Trumpet)
Pace, Parker (Senior Alto Saxophone)
Prawat, Andrew (Senior Clarinet)
Prawat, Jeremy (Freshman Marimba)
Prawat, Jeremy (Freshman Snare Drum)
Schmucker, Brandon (Freshman Snare Drum)
Staiger, Joshua (Junior Clarinet)
Szpakowski, Joshua (Sophomore Tuba)
Ensembles qualifying for State:
Trombone Trio:
Blystone, Jonathan (Senior Trombone
Hernandez, Brian (Senior Trombone)
Kertai, Brooke (Senior Trombone)
Woodwind Trio:
Clinger, Elizabeth (Senior Flute)
Pace, Haley (Sophomore Clarinet)
Whittaker, Katie (Sophomore Flute)
Saxophone Trio:
Miller, Chandler (Sophomore Alto Saxophone)
Pace, Parker (Senior Alto Saxophone)
Perez, Taylor (Sophomore Alto Saxophone)
Brass Quartet:
Hernandez, Brian (Senior Trombone)
Kucera, Ashton (Sophomore Trumpet)
Long, Job (Junior Trombone)
Pace, Skyler (Senior Trumpet)
Still reading? Check out this list of students who were within one point of a perfect score in all difficulty levels. This is quite difficult to achieve.
Solos within 1 point of a perfect score:
Lawmaster, Julianne (Sophomore Flute) STATE QUALIFIER
Lawmaster, Julianne (Sophomore Piccolo) PERFECT SCORE, STATE QUALIFIER
Prawat, Jeremy (Freshman Marimba) STATE QUALIFIER
Prawat, Jeremy (Freshman Snare Drum) STATE QUALIFER
Schmucker, Brandon (Sophomore Snare Drum) PERFECT SCORE, STATE QUALIFIER
Russell, Aidan (8th grade Snare Drum)
Staiger, Joshua (Sophomore Clarinet) STATE QUALIFIER
Torres, Marisol (8th grade Marimba)
Varner, Max (6th grade Oboe)
Ensembles within 1 point of a perfect score:
Woodwind Trio:
Patterson, Freeman (Junior Bass Clarinet)
Schweisburger, Jacob (Senior Clarinet)
Szpakowski, Joshua (Sophomore Flute)
Woodwind Trio:
Kucera, Madison (8th grade Flute)
Miller, Logan (8th grade Clarinet)
Peronne, Alanah (8th grade Flute)
Want to see the full results for every student? Here's a spreadsheet.
It is difficult to adequately express the pride I have in the Bremen Band program today. So many students put in so much time, and there were so many wonderful success stories even beyond the few listed above. These students deserve our recognition-- if you know any of these band students, congratulate them! Feel free to share this success online and beyond-- these accomplishments represent some of the best examples of what Bremen Public Schools have to offer. Thank you students for your hard work, and parents for your support.