Wabash, IN – The Wabash Valley Music Association’s (WVMA) Honors Band & Choir marked its 50th year with a performance on Friday, March 8, 2024, at the Honeywell Center. In celebration of the 50-year legacy of this program, alumni performed with the band and choir during the combined piece.
The Honors Band & Choir Concert uplifts the musical and artistic talent of high school students in Wabash County. The most talented high school musicians and vocalists are brought together every spring to present a public concert. Students from Northfield, Southwood, Wabash, and Manchester High Schools spend weeks rehearsing for the performance that showcases the tremendous amount of young talent in the area. This concert allows students who have excelled in music education to work and perform with professional guest conductors and directors. Honors Band & Choir broadens the students’ experience and allows them to see how different music leaders work and convey their expectations. WVMA
provides artistic exposure and enrichment to area students through this program.
Band students were conducted by Dr. David Blon. Honors Band students performed selections of the “Star-Spangled Banner” by John Stafford Smith and Jack Stamp, “Prairie Dances” by David R. Holsinger, “Takeda Lullaby” by Benjamin Yeo, “Songs of Old Kentucky” by Brant Karrick, and “Balkan Seven” by Scott Watson.
Choral students performed under the direction of Dr. Debra Lynn and were accompanied by Emily France. Choir students performed selections of “Cantate Domino (O Sing Ye to the Lord)” by Guiseppe Pitoni, “Three Madrigals” by Emma Lou Diemer, “Prayer for Peace” by Debra Lynn, and “Praise His Holy Name” by Keith Hampton.
Honors Band & Choir students performed “From Sea to Shining Sea” by Samuel Ward with 49 alumni for the combined piece.
Manchester Community Schools
Jeff Huber, Band Director; Sharon Lehman, Choir Director
Metropolitan School District of Wabash County
Northfield High School: Todd Ward, Band Director; Matt Johnston, Choir Director
Southwood High School: Lindsay Knee, Band and Choir Director
Wabash City Schools
Kaitlyn Whinery, Band Director; Mark Nevil, Choir Director
Program
Master of Ceremonies, Doug Lehman (WVMA Board President)
Awards Announcer, Susan Jones
Event Coordinators, Susan Keefer and Chris Hickman
Participating students in the Honors Band included:
Flute
Aubrey Carey, Southwood High School
TJ Fritter, Wabash High School
Shauna Holiday, Southwood High School
Rachel Lawson, Southwood High School
Kaylee Nelson, Southwood High School
Anna Todd, Manchester High School
Macy Tuggle, Manchester High School
Peyton Turley, Northfield High School
Viola
Emma Coffman, Wabash High School
Bassoon
Diego Myers, Manchester High School
Clarinet
Katherine Gaston, Wabash High School
Peyton Gilbert, Manchester High School
Malia Mahan, Southwood High School
McKenzie Moorman, Southwood High School
Emily Rehak, Northfield High School
Landon Shoue, Northfield High School
Bass Clarinet
Liam Kreps-Miller, Manchester High School
Alto Saxophone
Kalli Davis, Wabash High School
Lee Hicks, Wabash High School
Lucas Law, Northfield High School
Korben Reid, Manchester High School
Sophia Willey, Manchester High School
Tenor Saxophone
Ethan Lochard, Southwood High School
Antonio Jimenez, Manchester High School
Sloane Willey, Manchester High School
Baritone Saxophone
John Roth, Manchester High School
Trumpet
Isaiah Beall, Northfield High School
Ava Bishir, Wabash High School
Naomi Davis, Southwood High School
Madison Griffin, Northfield High School
Xavier Hughes, Wabash High School
Kennedy James, Manchester High School
Sebastian Liebo, Southwood High School
Zaine Louvier, Manchester High School
Makayla Pelphrey, Wabash High School
Izzabella Reed, Wabash High School
Sarah Smith, Southwood High School
Turner Stephens, Northfield High School
Chloie Youngblood, Northfield High School
Trombone
Chad Eckols, Northfield High School
Alexis Leffel, Northfield High School
Tala Lynn, Wabash High School
Jordyn Neff, Manchester High School
Baritone
Eligah Brown, Wabash High School
Cello
John Nesler, Northfield High School
Tuba
Milo Hupp, Manchester High School
Logan Shellhamer, Southwood High School
Percussion
Allie Evans, Manchester High School
Tyce Frank, Northfield High School
Kyron Mahan, Wabash High School
Jordyn Neff, Manchester High School
Olivia Simpson, Southwood High School
Ethyn Sluss, Wabash High School
Alexander Weaver, Manchester High School
Participating students in the Honors Choir included:
Wyatt Barton, Northfield High School
Burton Black, Northfield High School
Luke Blossom, Wabash High School
Trinity Dalton, Wabash High School
Maddox Elzy, Southwood High School
Allie Evans, Manchester High School
Lily Flora, Manchester High School
Amarah Frieden, Northfield High School
Mollie Friend, Wabash High School
Payton Hamby, Manchester High School
Bronwyn Harris, Manchester High School
John Harris, Wabash High School
Anna Hodson, Northfield High School
Kaitlyn Holley, Manchester High School
Tyler Housman, Wabash High School
Makenna Hunter, Southwood High School
Milo Hupp, Manchester High School
Braylon Judy, Manchester High School
Kaelynn Kamp, Manchester High School
Fritz Kirk, Southwood High School
Lilli Linkenhoker, Manchester High School
Zaine Louvier, Manchester High School
Aaliysha Mackey, Northfield High School
Paulette Martin, Manchester High School
Katelyn Martynowicz, Manchester High School
Jessilyn McKee, Manchester High School
Lilean Meadows, Wabash High School
McKenzie Moorman, Southwood High School
Jiaye Myers, Manchester High School
Kaylee Nelson, Southwood High School
Matthew Niles, Wabash High School
Meryn Norman, Southwood High School
Maggie Onderko-White, Manchester High School
Kasen Oswalt, Wabash High School
Gavin Palmer, Wabash High School
Libee Price, Southwood High School
Zaria Pries, Southwood High School
Olivia Ranck, Southwood High School
Lauryn Reichenbach, Manchester High School
Xander Rose, Wabash High School
Amaya Sellers, Wabash High School
Paloma Shull, Wabash High School
Hunter Simpson, Wabash High School
Sarah Smith, Southwood High School
Duke Sparks, Southwood High School
Joshua Steely, Manchester High School
Jared Stevens, Wabash High School
Miriam Struble-Hedstrom, Manchester High School
Ashlee Thomson, Manchester High School
Anna Todd, Manchester High School
Lexi Walters, Wabash High School
For more information on the Honors Band & Choir 50th Anniversary, visit honeywellarts.org/hbc.
