Several high school and middle school music students in Dare County recently earned high honors in regional band and symphony orchestras. These students will perform with other top high school musicians from eastern NC at East Carolina University (ECU) this month.
After competing against hundreds of students across eastern NC in January, six Dare County high school students earned places in the NC Bandmasters Association’s Eastern District Honor Band.
These students will participate in a two-day clinic at ECU on Feb. 3-4 with fellow District Honor Band members. The students will rehearse all day Friday and Saturday morning before showcasing their work during a concert Saturday afternoon.
The NC Eastern District Honor Band (11-12 grade) includes Gideon Couch and Abby O’Neal from Cape Hatteras High School, along with Delaney Hanf, Heath Miller, and Ellis Turnage from
First Flight High School (FFHS). Max Syrrist and Gretchen Altmer of Cape Hatteras Middle School also made the honor band, and Manteo High School (MHS) Freshman Elisabeth Writtenbery also auditioned and earned 12th chair flute in the NCBA Eastern District Honor Band (9-10 grade).
Due to their high placement within the band, Couch, Hanf, and Miller are also eligible to audition for the NC All-State Band in March.
Three Dare County high school students were also selected for the 50-piece Eastern Regional Symphony Orchestra out of 200 students that auditioned. The orchestra members include Mary Kathryn Stoud and Heath Miller from FFHS and Catherine Tyre from MHS.
“Dare County Schools has a well-earned reputation for excellent music programs, and the achievements of these students is a testament to the skilled and caring music teachers and the dedicated and hard working students in our programs,” said Assistant Superintendent Steve Blackstock.
The North Carolina Bandmasters Association and Symphony Orchestra are part of the North Carolina Music Educators Association. The Eastern District region includes those areas from Interstate 95 to the coast. These associations work to advance the cause and development of school band and orchestra programs in Eastern North Carolina.
