Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Seven CMS Students Earn All Region Band Honors

There were 2,400 students registered for 240 places in Region III Junior High All Region Bands. Auditions were held at Ashdown Junior High School.

According to Allen Wimberly, tension was thick and the competition was fierce. Despite the storms and adversity of all the crowded conditions and the long hours students had to wait, the Gurdon Go-Devil band students kept their cool, he said.

According to chaperone Linda Hulan,

Gurdon students were wonderful and very patient, according to Linda Hulan, chaperone for the students. It was also nice to see them make other friends and share the joy of others and feel for those, who didn't make the band.

Gurdon took 12 students to the auditions and seven of them made the prestigious Region III All Region Junior High bands.

Students competing are in grades seven, eight and nine obviously with the ninth graders having the best chances of making a band and most seventh graders who attend are going for the experience of the tryout so they will have a better chance in the future.

Gurdon had four ninth graders and three eighth graders earn a spot in the two prestigious Region III All Region bands. Four of the Gurdon students earned a spot in the first band with the other three in the second band.

Robyn LeMay, an eighth grader said, "It's a whole new level of playing that I will get to experience, It feels good, baby!"

Connie Smith, an eighth grader, had this to say about being a member of the Junior High All Region Band, "I'm so glad my parents bought me a new flute, it took me to another level of playing."

Beech Street Baptist Church was packed Tuesday, Dec. 14, and the atmosphere was great. The band students were all dressed nice and the young men look great in their ties and the ladies were sporting some of their favorite apparel.

The beginner band was nervous, but played magnificently for their first public performance.

The intermediate and sigh school concert bands lived up to expectations and played just wonderful. Directors Bruce Burson and Wimberly were very pleased with all three bands.

All bands played music that was challenging and rated higher than their grade level.