Musical Notes

Musical Stuff This Weekend

There is a plethora of concerts happening on Sunday around our area, and on Saturday there is a clinic for area band directors.

The Texas Bandmasters' Association is sponsoring a  clinic with Barbara and Rick Lambrecht serving as the clinicians.  The event happens Saturday at Eastwood High School starting at 9:00 a.m.  This is the information release from Bruce Beach:

" Don't forget about the incredible TBA clinic at Eastwood HS this Saturday, 8:30 a.m. Registration, $10.00 fee, clinic starts at 9:00 a.m. goes til 4:00 p.m.. Rick and Barbara Lambrecht have prepared a great session for all of us. BRING YOUR INSTRUMENTS!!!!!!!!! The emphasis on sight reading in the morning and tone building in the afternoon. All those hours count towards your PDAS hours. I will give you a certificate at the end of the day to show your administrators. "

It is great that there is some outreach by TBA and TMEA both for our West Texas directors, as it is so costly and time consumptive to travel to where these clinics are usually held.  Yea, TBA!

And on Sunday there are 4 different concerts taking place.  More information will be forthcoming in Friday's Times column, but the Mesilla Valley Concert Band, the El Paso Symphony Youth Orchestras, and the Edge of Texas Band are all giving concerts.  Plus there is a great vocal recital out at UTEP.  Something for everyone!  Sunday is like Lay's Potato Chips--Betcha can't attend just one!!

WTCGA Winter Guard Schedule

Here is the schedule for the 2012 Winter guard circuit, hosted by the West Texas Color Guard Association. 

 

Event                           Date                             Show Host

Field Day                    January 28, 2012        Del Valle

Contest #1                   February 17, 2012      Americas HS

Contest #2                   February 18, 2012      Franklin HS

Contest #3                   February 24, 2012      El Dorado HS

Contest #4                   February 25, 2012      Riverside HS

Contest #5                   March 9, 2012            Americas HS

Contest #6                   March 10, 2012          Hanks HS

Contest #7                   March 23, 2012          Bel Air HS

Contest #8                   March 24, 2012          Parkland HS

Contest #9                   March 30, 2012          Del Valle HS

Championships           March 31, 2012           Americas HS @ Socorro HS

Vocals and Violas and Bears, Oh My! ( One of those is not true....)

Music fans can hear an interesting combination of musicians performing together Sunday afternoon.  The ongoing music series at Grace United Methodist Church, '2nd Sundays at Grace' will present 3 local musicians in an afternoon concert Sunday, January 8th. 

From the event's information page on Facebook:

Tenor William Gilbert will be joined by Luis Alarcón on Viola (and possibly violin!) in a unique concert experience. Both will be accompanied by the esteemed Dr. Esequial Meza on piano. This is sure to be a special treat unlike any combination of performers you are used to hearing. Please join us for food, fun, great LIVE music and a celebration of community outreach to El Paso!

The church is located at 400 N. Carolina in the lower valley.  The concert will start at 3:00p.m., and there is no admission charge.  Definitely worth checking out!

Area Audition Results! State, Baby!

From George Rangel, Van Horn band Director:

Final results for ATSSB Area Auditions: the following 8 students will be representing the small school bands at the ATSSB All-State Band Concert next month in San Antonio:

Miguel Medrano - Fabens - Oboe
Valerie Frias - Mountain View - Alto Clarinet
Christopher Tarin - Fabens - Baritone Saxophone
Joshua Gonzalez - Clint - Percussion
Christopher Terrazas - Mountain View - Tenor Trombone
Alexis Olivas - Mountain View - Clarinet
Sergio Lara - Mountain View - Clarinet
Antonio Lugo - Anthony HS - French Horn

From Jason Lauturner, Riverside Band Director:

TMEA All-State Results:

All-state Jazz ( held by recording earlier last semester);

Jonathan Richardson, trombone, Chapin

Emilio Mesa, alto sax, Coronado

Concert Band Results from Midland:

Kennedy Harris, bass trombone, Franklin

Emily Mathews, Flute, Parkland

Juan Carlos Rodriguez, contra-bass clarinet, Americas

Allison Speziale, clarinet, Chapin

Sean Gilbert, clarinet, Jefferson

Kevin Chesak, clarinet, Eastwood

Nicole Sanchez, horn, Coronado

Kayla Uribe, horn, Coronado

Alex Verdugo, horn, Del Valle

Ben Vasko, tuba, Coronado

Micheal Moreno, trumpet, Eastwood

Jordan Chesak, trumpet, Coronado

Aaron Venegas, trombone, Del Valle

Area Choir Results: ( also via Jason Lauturner)

Desiray Correa, Riverside, soprano 1
Marcos Robles Warnick, Eastwood, bass 1
Nadia Eleskandary, soprano 1, Jefferson
Jerry Mora, tenor 1, Jefferson
Edward Rodriguez, tenor 1, Irvin
Lauren Lozano, alto 2, Coronado

Congratulations to ALL these students and their directors!  Also to each student who qualified for Area!  You have represented El Paso in fine fashion!

Concerto Competition, Flute Fest, and All-State, Oh My!

School is back in session and so the scholastic music happenings are again piling up.  Here's a rundown of some of them.

The application deadline for the El Paso Symphony Youth Orchestra's Concerto competition is Monday, January 9.  For complete information, visit their website  here:

https://www.epsyos.org/concerto-competition

The El Paso Flute Club's annual Flute Fest takes place on January 14.  For artist information, details, and registration, visit their website here:

www.epflute.com

The next edition of YES/SI ( Young Educators Seminars- Sharing Information),  for band directors of any age and experience or those on their way to being directors, takes place on Monday, January 9 at UTEP at 6:30 in room 101.  The speaker is Cindy Bulloch, well-known middle school band director who taught the Nimitz JHS program in Odessa for many years.  She's pretty good, just saying.  Go check it out!

And the last ALL-STATE tryouts are this weekend for band and choir.  Both are taking place in Midland.  I'll have what results I hear up on the blog as they become available!  Good luck to all competing students and their directors!

FORTE Drum and Bugle Corps Will Hold El Paso Camps

Forte, a DCI corps out of the Dallas area, will be holding three satellite camps in El Paso in the upcoming months for the convenience of interested marchers from West Texas and New Mexico.  The camps will all be just one day, but the chance to experience a DCI environment and learn more about the corps and corps process should be an experience in itself.  More information about the camps, the audition process, and the FORTE Drum and Bugle Corps can be found on their website by gong here:

http://www.fortecorps.org/

Riverside Christmas Fair Performance Order!

Here is the performance order for the Riverside Ranger Band's Craft Fair/Enchilada Dinner/ Holiday Concert!  Enchilada supper tickets are $5.00, and food and crafts are available starting at 4:00 p.m. at Riverside High School, 301 Midway Drive!

1st Armored Division Band Concert Today!

Check out the 1st AD Band's Holiday Concert Today!

Concerts This Weekend! Christmas Music Abounds!

Today is a big day for the Bands in our area, as directors and students are all at Hanks High School for Region Auditions.  But tomorrow two outstanding concerts will be happening, so take advantage and go to one, or both!

The 1st Armored Division Band ( formerly the 62nd Army Band), under the direction of CW3 Russell Houser and 1st Sargeant Michael Key,  will be holding a free concert in Magoffin Auditorium on the UTEP campus.  The concert will begin at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.  Seating for priority ticketholders will start at 1:00 p.m., with the general public seated at 1:30.  Tickets are available at ITR at Freedom Crossing, but if you don't have one, never fear.  Magoffin Auditorium is HUGE and there should be plenty of seats! 

 The concert will feature 17 numbers, including some classics like Alfred Reed's 'Greensleeves' as well as some novelty pieces such as 'Oy To The World'.  This number is a klezmer version of the classic carol with a vaguely similar name.  The finale will be an arrangement of a TSO number-- 'Christmas Eve/Sarajevo' arranged by a former band member, Captain Scott McKenzie.

At 4:00 in the Plaza Theater you can support our local musicians AND help a worthy cause.  The  El Paso Symphony Orchestra will present a holiday concert to benefit the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation Scholarship Fund.  The program will also feature the Destiny Family Christian Center Gospel Choir.  The Orchestra will be underthe direction of Andy Moran.

Tickets are $16.50 for adults, $11.50 for students, and $6.50 for juniors aged 2-12 years.  They are available at the door or through Ticketmaster.

 

Christmas Music Is Coming!! Lots of It!!

The rash of Holiday Music has begun!  Check out some of these awesome Christmas concerts coming up this weekend!

On Friday, December 2, the El Paso Wind Symphony, under the direction of Ron Hufstader,  will be performing at the Fox Fine Arts Recital Hall.  Concert starts at 7:00 p.m., tickets are $12.50 adults, $7.50 students, seniors, military. 

On December 3 and 4,  “The Gift of Christmas” will be performed by the El Paso Choral Society at the Union Depot.

J. Prentice Loftin will be directing El Paso Chamber Choir, accompanied by Dr. Esequiel Meza.  The El Paso Brass will also perform.  Concerts will be held on Saturday, December 3, at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, December 4, at 2:30 p.m. Tickets: Adults $15; Seniors 60+ and Military $10; Students K-College $5. Call 479-0156 for information and tickets.

 

On Saturday, December 3, at 3:00 in the afternoon  the El Paso Young Ladies Choir, directed by Yvonne Marmolejo and  again accompanied by Dr. Esequiel Meza, will perform.  The El Paso Brass will perform at this concert as well.  Tickets: Adults $10; Seniors 60+ and Military $8, Students K-College $5. Call 479-0156 for information and tickets.

And also on December 4,  the 7th annual "Big Band Christmas" Concert featuring the Jazz Unlimited Big Band with Jachin Ford, vocalist, will take place.   The concert will start at 7:00 p.m. and will be held at St. Mark's United Methodist Church, 5005 Love Road, off of Doniphan. The concert is free but donations will be accepted at the door.

And don't forget the Tree-lighting at San Jacinto Plaza on December 3rd!  The Brass Quintet from the 1st Armored Division Band will be performing more holiday classics while the City Christmas Tree is lit, and then the Holiday Lights Parade takes place!

No wonder it's the Most Wonder ful Time of the Year-- So much Music!!