CHS Concert Bands Bring Home ISSMA Gold

music-notesThe Chesterton High School Wind Ensemble traveled to Wheatfield this past Friday to compete in the Indiana State School Music Association’s (ISSMA) annual organizational concert event. Kankakee Valley High School was recently added to the list of schools hosting events like this around the state because there were so many bands, orchestras and choirs hoping to compete at Lowell High School (the originally scheduled site) that there simply was not enough time over the two-day competition for the judges to listen to all of the groups.

A secondary site was quickly negotiated and several groups were rescheduled for Kankakee Valley instead of Lowell. On Saturday, April 13, the CHS Symphonic Band then traveled to Wheatfield to take part in that ISSMA event.

Both groups were required to prepare and perform three selections for a panel of three adjudicators. The members of the judging panel at such ISSMA events are charged with rating the performances of each ensemble using a detailed scoring process that breaks down into nine categories. Each of these nine categories are broken down still further into descriptors that help the judge become very detailed in his or her analysis of the performances. In addition to a written evaluation of the group’s performance, the bands and orchestras also receive taped commentary from each judge containing positive comments for high musical and technical achievement, as well as suggestions that will help the group to improve their musicianship in the future.

Both the CHS Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble received excellent marks that earned them gold superior ratings for their prepared selections. After each group finished their respective performance on stage, they were required to take part in the sight-reading portion of the competition. During this event, the bands are given a piece of music appropriate for their particular experience level, and they are asked to perform the piece for yet another judge who offers both a written and recorded evaluation of their preparation process, and their performance.

For most directors and their students, this part of the competition is the most nerve racking,” said CHS Director of Bands Michael Scheiber. During the preparation process, the directors and students are allowed to discuss the technical and music parts of the piece, they can even clap, sing, and snap their fingers through all of the rhythms in preparation, but they can’t play a note on their instruments until told to do so by the judge. “Once the preparation time is over, the group must play the piece straight through without stopping while the judge continues to evaluate. This process reveals our student’s personal self-confidence as well as their proficiency on their instrument, and it can certainly get a little exciting in the sight-reading room,” Scheiber added.

The Wind Ensembles three selections for the group’s stage performance included an exciting up-tempo piece entitled, “An American Fanfare,” by composer Rick Kirby. The group’s second selection was a beautiful romantic piece entitled “The Seal Lullaby” which was based on a poem by Rudyard Kipling. This work also presented a featured piano soloist throughout, an element to the work that was performed beautifully by senior percussionist Nick Cross. The group rounded out their program with “Vesuvius” an exciting and challenging work by band composer Frank Ticheli.

The CHS Symphonic Band opened their performance with a selection by well-known band composer Elliot Del Borgo entitled Chant Rituals. This interesting contemporary piece required the percussionist to improvise their music during several sections of the piece, and the members of the woodwind and brass section were required to actually sing in harmony. In contrast, the groups second piece was based on a church hymn written in the middle 1800’s that is entitled “They Led My Lord Away.” The Symphonic Band closed their program with “Thunderscape,” a selection that uses many special effects to depicts the grandeur and awe of one of nature’s greatest spectacles, the thunderstorm.

Members of the CHS Symphonic Band include Brian Bolin, Hannah Brown, Kristina Carr, Taylor Cash, Turner Cash, Emily Cernick, Belle Chandler, Abi Curdes, Grace Davis, Jeff DeHenes, Nick DeHenes, Zach DeLaCruz, Tina Denfeld, Zach Dickinson, Justice Eiden, Jacob Espinoza, Jacquelynn Evans, Riley Franklin, Annie Friday, Alysa Garriott, Arianna Hall, Seth Halpin, Matt Hampton, Alexandra Hanson, Hailey Hickey, Rowan Holsen, Hannah Hoffman, Amanda Isbister, Henry Keller, Mike Lipinski, Cassi Mardis, Madison McCarthy, Sean Messina, Jenna Miller, Devin Moser, David Olsen, Spencer Ostrega, Alaina Patterson, Robert Rosenau, Zach Royko, Joe Sabol, Collin St. Mary, Greg Sirko, Joe Stento, Sydney Walker, Katelyn Woods.

Members of the CHS Wind Ensemble include Kathryn Ausema, Kyle Barnes, Kierstin Berry, Diva Bridegroom, Jennifer Cedarstaff, Nicolette Croft, Nick Cross, Jeff DeHenes, Ashley Dennis, Sophia DeWitt, Zachary Dickinson, Seth Halpin, Matt Hampton, Zachary Hehr, Loren Hodgkiss, Rowan Holsen, Alex Hughes, Lily Hull, Brandon Jackett, Samantha Johnson, Curtis Jones, Eddie Kaczmarek, Olivia Kaiser, Austin Krafft, Michael Lipinski, Xavier Loving, Jackson Lucken, Bobby Maletta, Cassi Mardis, Hannah McCafferty, Nathan McCall, Erin McNicholas, Katelyn Merritt, Fred Owens, Yioti Panayi, Evan Pearson, Mitch Pearson, Frank Pejril, Joel Peterson, Sophia Pizzi, Nathan Poczekay, Tom Pratt, Anna Reyes, Xaundra Rodriguez, Robert Rosenau, Hayley Sabol, Laura Stepanovich, Garrett Swanson, Damien Thomas, Donna Trowbridge, Logan Vermillion, Jaynellen Waelde, Kaleigh Wilder.

Both the CHS Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble are under the Direction of Michael Scheiber. For additional information, please contact the CHS Music Department at 983-3730.