Thirteen Redwood Students Make TKMEA Honor Band Including Six First Chairs

By Adriana Ceballos

Tulare Kings Music Educators Association, or TKMEA are the honor ensembles across Tulare and Kings county for high school and middle school students. Thirteen students apart of Redwood’s band program were selected to be apart of the honor band taking place this weekend, February 4th and 5th.

The Thirteen Students include Michelle Yang ’22 -1st chair Flute, Serena Bostai ’22 – 4th chair flute , Devin Calderon ’23- 1st Chair Clarinet, Alyssa Pierce ’23 -2nd Chair Bari Saxophone, Raul Arrendondo ’23, Bass Clarinet Jacob Abbot ’24 -5th Chair Trumpet, Bethany Wells ’22 – 1st Chair Horn, Jaden Bullock ’23 – 1st Chair Trombone Owen Koford ’23 – 5th Chair Trombone Luis Anaya ’23 – 1st Chair Tuba, Jalen Bullock ’23 -3rd Chair Tuba, Dolan Morris ’23 -4th Chair Tuba, and Kyla Seitz ’22, 2nd Chair Percussion.

Arrendondo “The instrument itself is one of a kind, and I think that’s why I love the instrument so much. The instrument itself reminds me of myself… I originally chose to play it because of what different things it could do. I have no idea why I chose it fully. It’s like it came out to me, and I’m glad.

The Honor Band will be performing a total of 4 pieces. These pieces include Radiance by Mark Lortz, Sheltering Sky by John Mackey, Shadow Falls by Julie Giroux, and The Black Horse Troop by John Philp Sousa.”

Arrendondo adds, “… each song has it’s flair and honestly I enjoy it. I especially like The Black Horse Troop because of how it’s a march and the music just punches you in the face.”

First chair Tuba Luis Anaya ’23, says;”I started practicing from the moment I got the music. Band means a lot of things and TKMEA is the best players in Tulare Kings county so I need to be ready, ” Anaya says.

Anaya adds “I feel I am often overlooked in my section; it felt good to be recognized as the top tuba in the county.”

Anaya says that the audition process;” was interesting. This year was not normal due to the fact COVID is still a big issue.”

Arredondo compares this years audition process to passed years saying, “Auditions were lonely and we had to submit our piece to a google form on the website. It was quite the trip of emotions because we had to wait for 2 weeks for results instead of finding out a couple years later like in previous years.”

Because of the auditions being virtual this year, that meant that students would have to print out and practice their music themselves, instead of having a sight read with everyone that same day.

1st Chair Clarinet Devin Calderon ’23 says that “The music we’re playing this year isn’t as good as previous years; however I think that’s because we’re all coming back off from a COVID year.”

Calderon adds by saying that he “thinks that the rehearsal this Friday is more about putting things together compared to learning the music.”

Calderon says, “There was competition from clarinet in numerous schools such as Hanford West, Lemoore high school, and El Diamante; so I was very happy to be chosen for first chair.”

Calderon says that the auditioning process for him “was very simple. I practiced every other day for about a month and I recorded my audition on the first take”.

Calderon ends by saying, “TKEMA to me is an opportunity for musicians in our area to come together and create powerful moments in both our music and friendships we make as well.”

Tags: A&E, arts & entertainment, arts and entertainment, band, honor groups, Honorband, redwood high school, rhs, TKMEA, visalia california