Five Milbank area students rehearsed and performed with the Middle School All-State Orchestra at Rapid City Central High School on February 23-24. The event was sponsored by the South Dakota Music Educators Association (SDMEA).
Teaneashea Vogel, an eighth grader from Milbank Middle School, was selected as 12th chair cello. Homeschooled eighth grader Alana Wipf was 12th chair first violin. Sixth grader Kelsey Wipf, who is also homeschooled, was 10th chair, second violin. Traci and Joseph Tschetter, homeschooled eighth graders, were eighth and 10th chair first violin, respectively.
Bruce Knowles, who recently retired as the director of the Rapid City Central High School Orchestra after 41 years, served as the conductor. During the concert, Joseph and Traci were awarded a plaque for being three-year members of the orchestra.
The concert was presented on Saturday and included “Antique Dances and Airs” by Respighi, “Inverno” by Vivaldi, “Momentum” by Longfield, “Tango” by Burns, “Themes from the New World Symphony” by Dvořák, and “Green Rhythmico” by Mosier as a side-by-side finale with the J. Laiten Weed High School Honors Orchestra.
The 85-member orchestra was selected from 190 video auditions submitted from 29 schools across the state. Students were notified of their selection in December, and they had roughly two months to prepare the advanced level music. According to their strings instructor, Elizabeth Schulte, owner of Whetstone Valley Strings, to have five students accepted into the orchestra is a great honor, and it is the largest number that has ever represented Milbank.
Joseph and Traci are the children of Ryan and Elaine Tschetter. Teaneashea is the daughter of Josh and Pamela Vogel. Alana and Kelsey are daughters of Derek and Serena Wipf.
Submitted Photo: Teaneashea Vogel, Traci Tschetter, Kelsey Wipf, Alana Wipf, Joseph Tschetter, Bruce Knowles, conductor
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