Area Youth Perform At Local Bandmasters Contest

One-hundred and thirty band members from Milbank Middle School and Koch Elementary School performed at the South Dakota Bandmasters Middle School Band Contest Friday and Saturday, April 15-16. The contest, which took place at the Milbank Middle/High School, included 192 entries. Other schools participating were Big Stone City, Grant-Deuel,Clinton/Graceville/Beardsley, and Browns Valley.

All performances were judged on: tone, intonation, technique, interpretation, musical effect, and other performance factors. The ratings included: Superior (I), Excellent (II), Good (III), and Fair (IV). At the judges’ discretion, a plus or minus was added to the rating. The instrumentalists from Milbank received 14 Superior Pluses, 54 Superiors, 4 Superior Minuses, 18 Excellent Pluses, 23 Excellents, and 1 Excellent Minus. The 6th grade band and combined 7/8th grade band also received a Superior rating.

“A special thank you to the accompanists Cassidy Christians, Kellie Christians, Elisabeth Schwenn, Kimberly VanSambeek, Christina Lusk, JD Lusk, Alaina Rausch, Claire Mischel, Sophia Seffrood, Shawn Stemsrud, William Karels, Isaac Sousa, Hailey Hupke, Madison Liebe, Aiden Boerger, Eric VanSambeek, Deb Rausch, and Nancy Meyer,” said Susan Karels, Milbank 6-12 grade band director. Fifth grade band instructors are Mr. Dave Boerger (Koch) and Mrs. Susan Karels (St. Lawrence).

Following are the results for the Milbank students:
Superior Plus Solos: Marion Mischel, Alexis Ninneman, Alaina Rausch, Camryn Phinney, Max Lightfield (5th), JD Lusk, and Taryn Dusky.
Superior Solos: Korbin Leddy, Bailey Frerichs, Jenna Johnson, Savannah Stengel, Jared Johnson, Mason Riley, William Karels, Hailey Hupke, Jessica VanPeursem, Madi Thue, Dani Yamaura, Lily Trapp, Landon Brown, Aiden Ludvigson (5th), Aiden Boerger, Jack Sandvig, Benett Street, Stevie Ash, Siri Bien, Maiah Brown, and Shaylee Pekelder.
Superior Minus Solos: Jacob Grorud and Tracy Pillatzki.
Excellent Plus Solos: Eric VanSambeek, Drake Rogers, Erica Johnson, Crystal Spiering, Cassidy Christians, Sam Seffrood, Isaac Sousa, Makenna Osowski, Logan Meyer, and Stewart Loehrer.
Excellent Solos: Trevor Nolting, Micah Liebe, Marly Leddy, Rhianna Cantine, Katie Stodolski, John TerDenge, Amaya Street, Casey Yamaura, Elsie Rogers, Peyten Wiese, MacKenzie Michels, and Emma DeBoer.
Superior Plus Duets: Keara VanHoorn/Luis Berrones (5th), Hallie Schulte/Ximena Lozano (5th), Hallie Pillatzki/Cadence Pillatzki (5th), and Elsie Seffrood/Nathan Lease (5th).
Superior Duets: Jacob Reimche/Logan Fenhause, Kaylee Reil/Ashly Eilers, Dani Yamaura/Isabelle Nowick, Jenna Johnson/Amaya Street, Marion Mischel/Hattie Muellenbach, Savannah Stengel/Autumn Fox, Alaina Rausch/Lily Trapp, Bennett Schwenn/Karson Weber, Camryn Wiese/Maurina Street (5th), Ximena Lozano/Chloe Lee (5th), Siri Bien/Emma DeBoer, Mariah Brandenburger/Taryn Dusky, Madison Mathews/Peyton Gengler, Dani Yamaura/Mariah Brandenburger, Hillary Morton/Cassidy Schwagel (5th), Maddie Tesch/Brayden Christensen (5th), Maddie Gustafson/Rhianna Welberg, Madisen Frerichs/Laney Forrette (5th), and Amy Nelson/Rhianna Welberg.
Excellent Plus Duets: Ian Liebe/Mason Cordingley (5th), Madi Thue/Jessica VanPeursem, Landon Brown/Aiden Boerger, Sawyer Gauer/Piper Grear (5th), Hattie Muellenbach/Savanna Osowski, Jatana Grajczyk/Yullisa Sanchez-Ramierz, and Casey Yamaura/Darby Wanoreik.
Excellent Duets: Ian Liebe/Avery Whitesitt (5th), Amber Unzen/Maci Priebe, Jared Johnson/Charlezton Ward, Carter Phinney/Eli Johnson (5th), and Halli Essington/Monserratt Meraz-Chavez.
Excellent Minus Duets: Kaitlyn Schmitt/Alexis Veen.
Superior Plus Trios: Mason Cordingley/Eli Johnson/Carter Phinney (5th) and Hali Anderson/Hailey Underwood/ Crystal Spiering.
Superior Trios: Lars Andersen/Mason Riley/Eric VanSamBeek, Alexis Ninneman/Camryn Popowski/ Erica Johnson, Marly Leddy/Maci Priebe/Chaeli Parsley, Savannah Stengel/Zoey Henderson/ Autumn Fox, Jake Trevett/Logan Meyer/Drake Rogers, Bailey Frerichs/Kayla Bury/Rhianna Cantine, Allison Leddy/Peyten Wiese/Amaya Street, Stevie Ash/Benett Street/William Karels, Elsie Seffrood/Chloe Lee/Gauge Stengel (5th), and Madison Mathews/Jocalyn McFarland/Peyton Gengler.
Superior Minus Trios: Max Liebe/Thomas Steltz/Isaac Johnson and Clay Mork/Kaden Eisenchenk/ Joe Harstad.
Excellent Plus Trio: Sammy Femling/Sawyer Gauer/Piper Grear (5th) and Hillary Morton/Cassidy Schwagel/ Mallory Falk (5th).
Excellent Trios: Ryker Trevett/Isaac Sousa/Carter Bowsher, Maddie Tesch/Brayden Christensen/ Alayna Henderson (5th), and Jenna Dexter/Laura Eilers/Laura Johnson (5th).
Superior Plus Quartet: Tatum Berry/Emily VanHoorn/ Hailey Hupke/Maiah Brown.
Superior Quartet: Jenna Johnson/Monserrat Meraz-Chavez/Halli Essington/Camryn Phinney, Allison Leddy/Emma DeBoer/Madi Thue/Jessica VanPeursem, Bennett Schwenn/Benett Street/ William Karels/Karson Weber, and Makenna Osowski/Kayla Bury/ Tracy Pillatzki/Cassidy Christians.
Excellent Quartet: Cole Swenson/Jose Macias/Jack Sandvig/Kellen Hoeke and Noah Steinlicht/Sam Seffrood/Brady Femling/Evan Erickson.