Saturday March 5 Sapulpa High School hosted band and orchestra members from around Northeastern Oklahoma. Over 700 students showcased their talent competing in 341 solos and 213 ensembles. Students who received a superior rating in ensemble and solo (with a few other requirements) qualified to go to state competition next month. Sapulpa Instrumental Music Department had 9 ensembles and 13 solos receive superior ratings.
These students worked with professionals before school every week to perfect the music and met once a week before school with a band director. Special thanks to the Edward E. and Helen T. Bartlett Foundation for funding those professors and professional musicians who came and trained Sapulpa students. Students will continue to have specialized instruction until the OSSAA state solo and ensemble competition. The music prepared for solos and ensembles is in addition to concert band music that is rehearsed daily during band class and will be competing at the district and state level as well.
Ensembles require that a group of students work together to perform a piece of music. Many of the ensembles performed by Sapulpa students include several grade levels with seniors encouraging freshmen to work hard and perfect their instrument. Ensembles that received a superior rating and qualified for state OSSAA competition are as follows:
- Woodwind Quintet: Sarah Bartlett, Nicole Legendre, Hannah Walblay, Korey Luster, Shelby Howerton
- Symphonic Band Clarinet Quintet: Logan Klaassen, Reanna Wilson, Makaylah Ledbetter, Aubrey Dillahunty
- Wind Ensemble Clarinet Ensemble: Nicole Legendre, Kayci Owen, Erynn McCabe, Christina Shomaker, Emily Tanner, Haley Barnes, Katie Yahola
- Percussion Ensemble Ceremonium: Ezra Walblay, Denton McKee, Blake Hilligoss, Andrew Johnston, Jordan Baxter, Marisol Valverde, Gabe Jackson, Dakota Hillhouse
- Percussion Ensemble Mosaics: Caleb Baxter, Kyle McCollum, Blake Hilligoss, Denton McKee Jordan Baxter, Luke Cosby
- Percussion Ensemble Bayport Sketch: Ezra Walblay, Blake Hilligoss, Denton McKee, Andrew Johnston, Jordan Baxter, Marisol Valverde, Gabe Jackson, Dakota Hillhouse, Destiny Zelsnack
- Saxophone Quartet: Korey Luster, Sheridan Mackey, Kyle Fisher, Sean Diaz
- Wind Ensemble Trumpet Ensemble: Kean Murphy, Dylan Wilson, Nathaniel Adamson, Dalton Newport, Ehlana Klonecki, Sam Graham
- Wind Ensemble Brass Quintet: Kean Murphy, Dylan Wilson, Leon Graham, Korey Luster, Jett Kroening
To qualify for state competition soloists must not only play their piece at a superior level, but also play it from memory. Sapulpa had 8 students achieved both a superior rating and qualified to compete at the OSSAA state solo competition.
Superior and qualified for state
- Sam Graham, Trumpet
- Dylan Wilson-Criner, Trumpet
- Mercy Bevenue, Flute
- Christina Shomaker, Clarinet
- Nicole Legendre, Clarinet
- Katie Yahola, Clarinet
- Sarah Bartlett, Flute
- Cody Edwards, Tuba
Students who played at a superior level while using music to perform were:
- Korey Luster, Horn
- Joshua Swift, Trumpet
- MaryEllen Bush, Flute
- Andrew Johnston, Snare
- Michael LeMense, Horn
Seventh and eighth grade students perform their solo and ensemble selections later in March at the junior high and middle school level competition in Oklahoma City.
