BVMS qualifies 21 for All-State Band
By:
Staff report
Brandon Valley middle and intermediate school students who were selected to the 2020 Middle School All-State Band are (front, from left): Sam Hofer, Tenley Rude, Maya Matthies, Karlee Jones, Will McCarthy, Alexa Christopherson, Autumn Taylor, Jalen Nafziger, Isaac Fode, Emily Outland; (back) Parker Thorsland, Ella Forman, Kalli Rees, Kyra Weiss, Regan Brunkow, Ava Bunkers, Chloe Bills, Lillian Dirksen, Zo Conrad, Camden Coughlin, Matsen Menage. Jamie Hult/BV Journal
Brandon Valley once again set an All-State Band record, qualifying 21 students from Brandon Valley Middle School and Brandon Valley Intermediate School.
Last year, BV had 20 students selected to the elite band, and there were 16 in 2018.
Three from this year’s group – Parker Thorsland, Camden Coughlin and Emily Outland – were also selected to this year’s All-State Jazz Band.
The group includes three sixth-graders this year, which is unique, according to BVIS music director Laura Schenk.
“No school other than Brandon has had three sixth-graders in All-State before,” she said.
Brandon Valley also had the second highest number of students qualify in South Dakota.
“The number of students has steadily increased every year since 2017,” said BVMS band director Cal Lipetzky. “Laura and I are really proud of the students’ hard work and amazing achievements.”
Over 500 students submit auditions each year from around the state.
Thorsland also secured first chair alto saxophone for the All-State Band, which will perform Saturday, March 7 in Mitchell.
