Eleven members of the Roarin’ Lion Band earned a “Superior” rating at the Region 7 Solo and Ensemble Contest held Saturday in Wichita Falls and have qualified for the state competition.
Six other high school members of the band received “Excellent” ratings on their performance, while three Vernon Middle School members of the band received “Superior” ratings on their solos and seven more earned “Excellent” ratings. High school band students, along with junior high band students playing in an ensemble, qualify for the state competition.
“Our students displayed their talent and hard work at the competition and represented Vernon High School and Vernon Middle School very well,” said Roarin’ Lion Band Director Jeremiah Hastings. “We are very proud of all of them.”
Of the 11 who qualified for state, only one – Sam Thomas – qualified as a soloist. Sam received a “Superior” rating on a Class One marimba solo.
Three ensembles received a “Superior” rating and a trip to the state contest for their performance of their Class One arrangements. Those ensembles were: the flute trio of Joselyn Fuentes, Mariana Ortega and MuLay Paw; the percussion ensemble of Sophia Bohannon, Ehpolo Htoo, Varshini Kadiyala and Sam Thomas; and the percussion ensemble of Julian Rodriguez, Jase Northcutt, Ysabella Ampig and Cameron Streit.
The clarinet quartet of Alyssa Andara, Chloe Diekmann, Jessie Mejia and Rodrigo Olivas, earned an “Excellent” rating on their Class one arrangement.
Reagan Baskerville received an “Excellent” rating on her Class One trumpet solo, and Georgia Balderas also earned an “Excellent” rating on her Class Three trombone solo.
VMS students earning a “Superior” rating on their solos, along with the instrument they played, included: Marco Galvan Garcia, saxophone; Jase Northcutt, snare drum; and the only seventh grade student Olivia Hastings, snare drum.
Middle School students receiving an “Excellent” rating on their solos, along with the instrument they played, included: Inda Jani Reyes-Lopez, clarinet; Brynnlee Rozzell, trumpet; Skylar Harbour, flute; Leah Mena, clarinet; Braeden German, trombone; Preston Long, saxophone; and Cameron Streit, snare drum.
The UIL State Solo & Ensemble Contest is held the last week of May.