Standout musicians honored

Four eighth-graders were selected to participate in the Central Minnesota Band Directors Association honor band for grades six through eight on Saturday, Jan. 13, at Elk River High School.

 

Delano’s representatives were Olivia Bekkala on clarinet, Victoria Shafer on oboe, Iain Lee on saxophone and Karson Trujillo on trumpet.

 

“These students need to be top musicians in their grade to be nominated for this group, but what’s more important is that they are great role models for the other students around them,” said DMS band director Mike Dailey. “They are leaders in the school and great students to send to represent Delano.”

 

Rehearsals began at 8:30 a.m. and continued through the day, with the 97-member ensemble performing a four-song concert at 5 p.m. The students were chosen from more than 200 nominees.

 

Delano’s musicians said the opportunity to meet students from around the region and tackle some challenging music were the highlights of the day.

 

“It was cool to compare with other oboe players, and also share some fun tips, like trill keys and different fingerings for notes,” said Shafer.

 

Trujillo, Lee and Bekkala said their favorite thing about band are learning new music and improving on their instruments. Shafer agreed.

 

“I like watching how we start our pieces and it’s this jumbled mess of sounds, but later it turns into something that is actually kind of pretty,” she said.

 

Dailey said the contributions of each student are much appreciated.

 

“All of the students are in more than one instrumental group at the school. They show the dedication and determination that top music students have, and they are looked to for leadership by those around them,” he said. “The positive attitude and excitement they have for music really shows, and the ensembles they perform in benefit from it.”