On Feb. 21, 85 Newton band students in grades 5-8 participated in the annual South Central Iowa Bandmasters Association (SCIBA) Elementary and Middle School Solo and Ensemble contest.
This year’s contest held at Berg Middle School provided students from Aurora Heights, Woodrow Wilson and Berg Middle School the opportunity to perform for accredited music specialists, and receive ratings, comments, and medals based upon the quality of their performances.
Ratings are: 1+ highly superior, 1 excellent, 2 good, and 3 fair.
Students that participated received the following ratings:
Flute Solo
Highly Superior — Anna Bebout, Berg Middle School; Korie Jack, Berg Middle School; Chloe Pak, Berg Middle School; and Tyra Lambertus, Berg Middle School
Excellent — Tiffany Morris, Berg Middle School; Emily Light, Aurora Heights; and Madison Seiser, Woodrow Wilson
Clarinet Solo
Highly Superior — Makatlyn Anderson, Berg Middle School; Isaac Friedman, Berg Middle School; Daniel Lopez-Sanders, Berg Middle School; Sadie Steinbach, Berg Middle School; Grace Benson, Woodrow Wilson; MyKenzie Herbig, Woodrow Wilson; Kaitlyn Gifford, Aurora Heights; Madison Meehan, Aurora Heights; and Lauren Zaabel, Aurora Heights
Excellent — Taylor Barton, Berg Middle School; Lillain Busch, Berg Middle School; Gabrielle Pickerell, Berg Middle School; Haley Rinehart, Berg Middle School; Bailey VanSickle, Berg Middle School; and Sarah Templeman, Woodrow Wilson
Bass Clarinet Solo
Highly Superior — Rheagan Oldfield, Berg Middle School; and Devon Hobbs, Berg Middle School
Excellent — Alivia Lawton, Berg Middle School; and Molly Snow, Berg Middle School
Alto Saxophone Solo
Highly Superior — Chloe Butler, Berg Middle School; Giavanna Gast, Berg Middle School; Jacob Murphy, Berg Middle School; Bailey Sparks, Berg Middle School; Jillian Waits, Berg Middle School; Baylor VanSickle, Aurora Heights; Treven Briley, Aurora Heights; Maggie Garrett, Woodrow Wilson; Dakota Gooden, Woodrow Wilson; and Darian Morrison, Woodrow Wilson
Excellent — Olivia Bautista, Berg Middle School
Tenor Saxophone Solo
Highly Superior — Daniel Lopez-Sanders, Berg Middle School
Bari Sax Solo
Highly Superior — Taylor Guy, Berg Middle School
Trumpet Solo
Highly Superior — Dune Carter, Berg Middle School; Molly Coy, Berg Middle School; Matt Moran, Berg Middle School; Daniel Townsend, Berg Middle School; Kathryn VanManen, Aurora Heights; Garret Beerends, Woodrow Wilson; Garrett Nook, Woodrow Wilson; Adam Mattes, Woodrow Wilson; Anthony Moran, Woodrow Wilson
Excellent — Allison Bollhoefer, Berg Middle School; Luke Zaabel, Berg Middle School; Jacob Aldrich, Aurora Heights; Danielle Dalasta, Aurora Heights; and Amor Hilburn, Aurora Heights
Good — Taylor Fox, Berg Middle School
French Horn Solo
Highly Superior — Hanna Clark, Berg Middle School
Excellent — Alivia Lawton, Berg Middle School and Rylee Heryford, Aurora Heights
Trombone Solo
Highly Superior — Courtney Dawson, Berg Middle School; Nicholas Tremel, Berg Middle School; and Tanner Guy, Stephen Gibbons III, and Alexander Johnson, Aurora Heights
Excellent — Wade Klingensmith, Berg Middle School and Gabriel Withem, Woodrow Wilson
Baritone Solo
Highly Superior — Dakota Borger, Berg Middle School
Tuba Solo
Highly Superior — Brenna Reffett, Berg Middle School; and Blake Sevenbergen, Berg Middle School
Snare Drum Solo
Highly Superior — Collin Hemann, Berg Middle School; Ariel Lum, Berg Middle School; Rachel Rhoads, Berg Middle School; and Parker Sherwood, Berg Middle School; Isabella Bautista, Woodrow Wilson; and Thomas Hodnett, Aurora Heights
Mallet Solo
Highly Superior — Ethan Daniels, Berg Middle School; Ashley Loehr, Berg Middle School; Rachel Rhoads, Berg Middle School; Lexie Trout, Berg Middle School; Vivian White, Berg Middle School; and Laura Wyre, Berg Middle School
Woodwind Duet
Highly Superior — Anna Bebout and Makatlyn Anderson, Berg Middle School; Annabelle Prime and Madelyn Pickett, Berg Middle School; and Sadie Steinbach and Giavanna Gast, Berg Middle School
Saxophone Duet
Highly Superior — Chloe Butler and Taylor Guy, Berg Middle School
Excellent — Gage Gomez and Emily Russell, Woodrow Wilson
Trumpet Duet
Excellent — Molly Coy and Emily Goshorn, Berg Middle School
Trombone Duet
Excellent — Kleo Walker-O'Brien, Aurora Heights and Bekah Vasseau, Woodrow Wilson; and Alivia Lawton and Emily Goshorn, Berg Middle School
In addition to these ratings, adjudicators recognize outstanding performances in their center by selecting students to receive the prestigious “Outstanding Performance Award”. Each adjudicator listens to approximately 50 entries before narrowing the field to the most outstanding in their contest center.
Kaitlyn Gifford, fifth grade clarinet solo; Nicholas Tremel, eighth grade trombone solo; Ariel Lum, eighth grade snare drum solo; Ashley Loehr, seventh grade mallet solo; Laura Wyre, eighth grade mallet solo; Jacob Murphy, eighth grade alto sax solo; Rachel Rhoads, eighth grade snare drum solo; and Matt Moran, eighth grade trumpet solo were recipients of the Outstanding Performance Award.
Accompanists for the contestants include: Jan Backus, Arlene Beerends, Diane Fuller, Jane Johnson and Lori Mattes.
Band directors for the elementary and middle school band students are Seth Banwell, Michelle Banwell and Deb Stoulil.