Seven RCHS musicians to attend Senior Band Clinic
Photo: Katie Deichert/Eagles Nest
Seven RCHS musicians attended the prestigious Senior Clinic in Gatlinburg on January 10.
On Saturday, January 10, the RCHS Symphonic Band sent seven musicians to the East Tennessee Senior Clinic auditions. This is a competition open to all young musicians in the entire East Tennessee area. All those that make it through the arduous tryouts will be treated to a weekend in Gatlinburg, and spend the night at the Park Vista Hotel. Because so many students try out for the clinic, the students are divided into four separate bands, blue, red, green, and white, each with its own prestigious conductor.
Senior trumpet player Tim Cook earned a 4th place seat in the highest band possible, the Blue Band. His high chair also guaranteed him a place at the All State Band in Nashville. Senior Cassie Swiney was placed as first chair on percussion in the Red Band. Rhea County is represented in the Green Band by Clarinet Maria Shepherd in seventh chair, trumpet Brooke Smith in twelfth chair, and trumpet Molly Shaw in sixteenth chair. Miranda Phillips will be playing thirteenth chair flute in the White Band.
To give you an idea of how difficult clinic admission is, there were over 160 registrants in the trumpet section alone. The other sections are equally represented with plenty of hopeful musicians fighting for a seat in Gatlinburg. Just to make the band, each student must not only perform all twelve major scales from memory, but also play them in under three minutes. Obviously not a small feat, because many don’t make it past that phase in the tryouts. The next two phases, the prepared piece and sight reading, are scored by band directors from all over the region.
The six Rhea County students will be filling their hard earned seats Thursday, February 5 through Saturday, February 7. Along with time learning from some of the esteemed conductors in our state, they will also be allowed time free time in Gatlinburg. This opportunity is only possible thanks to the generosity of the Rhea County Band Boosters.
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