Pictured is the 2019 North Bay Honor Band Students from BMS with the Guest Conductor, Dr. Andy Collinsworth and BMS Band Director, Candice Crismond. Students from Left to Right: Cedric Ham*, Lily Meyers, Inessa Tsai, Jayden Randolph*^, Daniel Sproule, Katelyn Pagsolingan, Jonathan Fukushima, Lea King, Niah Madigan^

Galen Kusic, Editor

Nine Benicia Middle School students were accepted to the 2019 North Bay Honor Band. Following a two-day rehearsal, the concert took place at Pioneer High School in Woodland, Calif. On Jan. 20.

“It’ll be nice to let the town know what a great music program we have. There are many talented students in Benicia,” said Benicia Middle School Music Boosters President Carol Ham. “Students were focused and well behaved during the two-day rehearsal. The performance was amazing!”

To get accepted, students were given music to read and play before sending back a recording. Students must follow strict guidelines, including playing solo excerpts in exact order and playing passages as near the specified tempos as possible while omitting long rests.

“These BMS students represented BMS very well. I am very proud of them,” said Ham. “We are lucky to have such a great music program in Benicia.”

This year’s North Bay Honor Band Guest Conductor is Andy Hollinsworth. He conducts professional and community bands in the Bay Area and is the founder of the Sonoma Summer Wind Band Conducting Symposium, an annual week-long conducting workshop for high school and middle school music educators. He is also the artistic director for the Sonoma Invitational Wind Band and Orchestra Festival.

Additional accolades for BMS music students include earning All-State honors. Niah Madigan and Jayden Randolph will attend rehearsals and a performance in Feb. The last time BMS students were accepted to All-State was 2016.

(See photo caption, below)

• *Cedric Ham and Jayden Randolph are both three year members of the North Bay Honor Band.
• ^Niah Madigan and Jayden Randolph are accepted to the 2019 All-State Honor Band.

Sharing is caring!