Several Clarke Middle School Band members were accepted into the South Central Iowa Bandmasters Association (SCIBA) Honor Bands. Eighth grade student, Ashlin Hardy auditioned on oboe and earned first chair in the SCIBA White Band. For her audition, Ashlin had to memorize nine scales and perform two challenging musical selections for two judges. This year, the White Band will be under the direction of John Morgan from Merrill Middle School in Des Moines. The White Band is composed of a combination of eighth grade students who auditioned to earn their place, as well as seventh grade students who were nominated by their band directors. In addition, DeVante Caldwell, a seventh grade trombone player, was selected upon teacher nomination to participate in the White Band. Lily Eggman was selected on clarinet and Micah Domina was chosen on percussion to represent Clarke in the SCIBA Red Honor Band. The Red Band consists solely of seventh grade musicians who were nominated by their band directors. The Red Band will be conducted by Jason Spooner from Sacred Heart School in West Des Moines. All of these students have been busy preparing their music during their school band lessons for the upcoming concert with Clarke Middle School Band Director, Christie Stortenbecker. Ashlin Hardy takes piano lessons from Rachel McCoy, and Micah Domina takes piano lessons from Marlene Burgus.
The SCIBA Honor Band Festival will be held on Tuesday, November 5, 2019, in the auditorium at Ankeny Centennial High School in Ankeny, Iowa. Students from 75 schools located in the south central portion of Iowa will rehearse together during the afternoon and present a concert for the public in the evening. Each of the three honor bands has approximately 100 participants. The Red Band will perform at 6:30 PM, followed by the White Band at 7:00 PM. The Blue Band will perform at 7:30 PM. The admission fee for audience members is $3 for adults and $2 for non-participating students.