Rusty Courson - President, Alabama Bandmasters Association
As I write this after our 2014 All-State Festival last week, in reflection I am very thankful to be associated with an organization dedicated to the continued success of our students. After all, this has to be the primary purpose of doing what we do. I’m sure that all of you feel the same way that I feel. We are all blessed to have the opportunity to work with the BEST students in our school and community!!!
While I’m thankful for all of the outstanding band students that we have throughout the State of Alabama that are to be commended for a great performance this past Saturday, we were blessed to have tremendous clinicians willing to work with our students as well. Dr. Linda Moorhouse (Red Band), Samuel Hazo (White Band), Dr. Mark Walker (Blue Band), and Linda Gammon (Middle School Band) did a remarkable job rehearsing our students as they prepared for the culminating concert. Our band hosts are also to be commended for going above and beyond in assisting
our clinicians with anything they need: James Ed Champion, Damon McAllister, Heather Henson, and Connie Hammond.
Thanks so much to the directors in District I that provided percussion equipment (and there were several special requests regarding percussion needs from our clinicians this year). A very special thanks to Keith Anderson for coordinating all percussion needs, and thanks to all of those directors that managed to get everything moved to the Von Braun Center for rehearsals, in addition to moving everything to the arena for the Saturday Concert. Directors and their respective schools providing percussion equipment included: Keith Anderson and Stuart Tankesley (James Clemens HS); David Spencer (Huntsville HS); Jennifer Ragsdale, Adam Bernick, and Any Kruspe (Randolph School), and Robbie Stout (Decatur HS).
We were fortunate to have the use of First Baptist Church in Huntsville for our chair placement auditions.
The staff and ABA/Photography by
Suzanne Scholarship Winner Jacob Redden,Trinity Presbyterian School is congratulated by ABA President Rusty Courson
ABA All-State Red Band First Chair Players Piccolo - Sabrina Cline, Grissom HS Flute - Rebecca Percy, Hewitt-Trussville HS Oboe - Lian Remley, Shades Valley HS Bassoon - Presley Ready, Spanish Fort HS Eb Soprano Clarinet - Grace Shim, Hillcrest HS Clarinet - Matthew Belser, Ala. School of Fine Arts Alto Clarinet - Rachel Garcia, Faith Academy Bass Clarinet - Jordan McCarver, Pelham HS Contra Bass Clarinet - John Trudell, Sparkman HS Alto Saxophone - Gus Arnold, Huntsville HS Tenor Saxophone - Joey Crittenden, Homewood HS Baritone Saxophone - Patrick Morrison, Sparkman HS Trumpet - Justin Way - St. Paul’s Episcopal French Horn - Matthew Meadows, Walker HS Trombone - Cory Cheung, Hoover HS Euphonium - Todd Bosarge, Fairhope HS Tuba - Ben Cooper, Austin High School String Bass - Katherine Reardon, Bob Jones HS Percussion - Jacob Lipham, Daphne HS
Blake Malone, Deshler High School is presented the Phi Beta Mu/ Lamar Triplett Scholarship by Phi Beta Mu President James Champion
volunteers at FBC – Huntsville were incredibly gracious and accommodating to our directors and students for the past two years, and we owe a very special thanks to Emily
Parker for coordinating this for us.
FBC-Huntsville also provided an outstanding venue for our host night concert this year, which was provided by the UAH Wind Ensemble (conducted by Dr. David Ragsdale) and the U.S. Army Materiel Command Band (conducted by CW4 Jessie Pascua).
Those in
attendance (and it was a packed house) were treated to a TREMENDOUS concert!!! Dr. Ragsdale and the music faculty at UAH are also to be commended for hosting the state solo festival again this year. If you’ve never attended this event, you should try to make arrangements to be in attendance for the finals performance next year!!!
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May/June 2014
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