Attention Proud Parents: If you have news to share about the musical achievements of your band student(s), please contact Brenda Fernandez (848-8635) and Jean McCloskey (730-7395) before the 25th of each month.

Recent News:

July 2008

Beth Ammons, rising junior colorguard, will sing with the Baptist State Youth Choir next week; she auditioned and made this select group of 100 high school students from across the state -- they will tour the state and will stop in Raleigh for a concert on Saturday, July 19 at Meymandi Hall at 7 pm.

Sean Crosson, rising senior percussion, Meghan Jones, rising junior percussion, and Troy Larimer, rising junior percussion, have been involved in a praise band which Meghan started called "The Way" at Benson Memorial United Methodist Church with Sean on drumset and Meghan and Troy on guitar and all 3 on vocals. They debuted in June at a Youth Sunday service.

Rising junior percussionists Meghan Jones bass, Brandon Fernandez tenors, Troy Larimer bass, Jesse Rogers snare, Donald Turner snare, and rising senior percussionist Sam McFarlane snare, attended the Matt Savage Marching Percussion Camp held in July in Ellerbe, NC so they could work on technique and prepare for the 2008 marching season. Three of our students won awards that gave them discounts for next year’s camp. Troy earned most valuable bass, Donald earned most valuable snare and Brandon earned most improved tenors. Brandon also attended the University of Georgia at Athens Marching Percussion Camp, the University of South Carolina Marching Percussion Camp and the UNCG Summer Music Camp.

Phillip Knorr, rising senior trumpet, and David Williams, rising junior tuba, performed patriotic musical selections with the Triangle Youth Brass Band (TYBB) and the UNC-Greensboro Concert Band on July 4 in Greensboro as part of the "Fun Fourth Festival". The performance was held at Jamieson Stadium, Grimsley High School.

Trevor Shelton, rising junior percussion, recently played bass with a band at the "Art of Lifestyle Concert" in Durham. The concert was to bring awareness of the freedom of slaves in Texas. His group was participating in the event "expression through music".

Patrick Short, rising senior trombone and '08 drum major, has been working on his drum major skills with a local young man who has often served as a drum major judge at NC marching band competitions. Patrick is getting prepared to lead off the '08 season with a bang!

June 2008

Stephanie Barnett, rising junior euphonium, Jessica Grossano, rising junior euphonium and trumpet, Nate Hitchings, '08 graduate trumpet and Patrick Williams, rising freshman trombone, performed solos in their private teacher's annual spring recital on June 9th at Bay Leaf Baptist Church. The program was focused on all forms of jazz music from Dixie to Swing with Nate closing out the program as the featured soloist performing Gallagher's Sonata.

May 2008

Patricia Catapano, Senior flute, was one of four SHS students invited to perform in the North Carolina Theatre Capital Awards on Monday, May 19th at Memorial Auditorium. The Awards show/ceremony is NCT's version of the Tony Awards. The Capital Awards recognizes outstanding high school musical productions and performances and celebrates the work of aspiring young performers.

for additional info, here is their website: http://www.nctheatre.com/capitalawards.html

Patricia was also honored by the Theatre Dept. as Outstanding Theatre Student of the Year.

Brandon Fernandez, Sophomore percussion, was one of nine Triangle-area percussionists invited to play with Scottish Percussionist Evelyn Glennie and the North Carolina Symphony on June 7th at the Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary. Evelyn is the first person to successfully create and sustain a full-time career as a solo percussionist in the history of classical music. She has been profoundly deaf – meaning that she has some very limited hearing – since age 12. She regularly plays barefoot for both live performances and studio recordings, to better "feel" the music.

Brandon played the piece Bolero by Ravel (for the older folks - this was made popular by the movie "10" with Bo Derek!) which began with Evelyn on snare and then adding each of the nine students and instruments from the entire orchestra till everyone is playing the repetitive theme.

David Williams, rising junior tuba, performed with the Triangle Youth Brass Band (TYBB) on May 24 at Koko Booth Amphitheater in Cary, in conjunction with the Triangle Wind Ensemble and Concert Singers of Cary.  On May 25, David and the TYBB performed with the Triangle Youth Brass Ensemble at Meymandi Concert Hall in Raleigh.

April 2008

Brandon Fernandez, Sophomore percussion, attended and performed in the WGI Indoor Percussion World Championships with the group Constitution in Dayton, OH on the weekend of April 17-19th. Brandon plays mallets, snare, chimes and synthesizer in the front ensemble. There are 38 members from all over the state of NC in the group with Brandon being one of the six high school students.

March 2008

The Concert Band received an Excellent Rating at the Band Festival on Wednesday, March 12th. The Wind Ensemble received a Superior Rating at the Band Festival on Tuesday, March 11th. The Band Festival was held at Holly Springs High School with high school bands from all over Wake County participating. Congratulations to Mr. Flowers and the band.

William Coe, 10th grade saxophone, recently auditioned and was accepted into the North Carolina All State Honors Band. William will be attending a clinic in Winston-Salem on April 18 - 20, which will conclude with a concert. Congratulations William.

Brandon Fernandez, 10th grade percussion, was recently accepted into the Western Carolina Honors Band. He will attend a clinic on the Western Carolina campus on April 6 - 8, which will conclude with a concert. Congratulations Brandon.

Drum line and pit practices/auditions have begun.  Come to the band room on Wednesdays from 3:30-5:30 (with the exception of  Spring Break) to work on the material for the drum line and pit auditions. Contact Mark or a current percussionist if you need music. All percussionist rising 9-12 are needed. Come have fun!

February 2008

To follow up on events from last summer to present about our band members:

The following 9 students attended the 2007 Matt Savage Marching Percussion Camp,   back in June 10-16:  Ally Smiddy, senior, Bass – Most Improved; Brandon Fernandez, sophomore, Tenors – Most Valuable Player; Chris Miles, sophomore, Bass; Donald Turner, sophomore, Snare; Jesse Rogers, sophomore, Bass; Max Gallagher, senior, Snare; Meghan Jones, sophomore, Bass – Most Valuable Player; Sam McFarlane, junior, Snare – Most Valuable Player; Trevor Shelton, sophomore, Front Ensemble.  In 2006 we had 4 SHS players attend and in 2005 1 player.

Sean Crosson, junior percussion and Max Gallagher, senior percussion, performed in a studio recital at Progressive Percussion Music Studios Wake Forest location in January. Sean played the drum set and Max performed on marching snare. 

Brandon Fernandez, sophomore percussion, attended the UNCG Summer Music Camp for the 4^th time this past summer. In the fall he auditioned and was accepted for his 2^nd year into the group "Constitution" North Carolina's exclusive world-class indoor percussion ensemble which competes on the WGI circuit. Brandon was also selected by the NC Percussive Arts Society to participate in the NC High School All State Percussion Ensemble which performed at the North Carolina Music Education Association Conference in November 2007. Brandon recently auditioned and was accepted into the UNCG Honors Band for the 2^nd year. The clinic and concert are Feb 14-16.

Garrett George, sophomore saxophone, recently auditioned and made the Central Region Jazz Band. The clinic and concert are Feb 8-10 at Cedar Ridge HS in Hillsborough.

Patrick Short, junior trombone, has participated on and off for the past 2 years in the St. Mark's Symphony and is participating in this years student lead SHS Jazz Band.  

David Williams, sophomore tuba, participated in the Summer Tuba Band in Cary. David also was part of UNC Greensboro's "Tubas in the Summer" program, and participated in three separate public performances around the Greensboro area. In the fall, David auditioned for, and was accepted into the Triangle Youth Brass Band. He also participated in "Brassmas" on December 18.

January 2008

Kudos to the following students who auditioned for the All-District Band:

Doug Stiegler,tenor and alto sax
Katie Smith,flute
Maggie Corn-clarinet
Sam McFarlane
Joey Truxal, mallets
Matthew McCloskey, baritone
Callie Ford, alto saxophone
Bobby Lee, tenor saxophone
David Hasenauer, trombone

Congratulations to the following students who were selected for the All-District Band!!

Laura Arevalo, flute
William Coe, first chair, alto sax
Garrett George, alto Sax
Phillip Knorr, trumpet
Patrick Short, trombone
Jessica Grossano, first chair euphonium
David Williams, tuba
Brandon Fernandez, mallet percussion
Jesse Rogers, timpani

William, Patrick, Brandon, and Jessica qualified to audition for NC honors band, all students competed in a very competive audition to get into district band. This is the most students we have had make the band in a number of years.

Archived Newsletters

2002 - August, September, October, November,
2003 - January, February, April, June, July-August, September, September Vol. 2
2004 - November, October, September, August
2005 - January, February , March, April, May, July/Aug, September, October, November
2006 - January - December
2007 - January - December