Gogebic Range Honors Band performs at HIT

By BRENDA MOSELEY

news@yourdailyglobe.com

Ironwood - Students from six different area high schools in three counties joined forces on Nov. 15 to offer a concert at the Historic Ironwood Theatre.

Members of the Gogebic Range Honors Band played under the direction of renowned director John Lynch of Wisconsin.

The Gogebic Range Honors Band program is an opportunity for select young band members to train together with a guest conductor.

According to promotional material, the kids "come to the theatre for the duration of one school day, learn never-before-seen pieces, get coaching and training from the guest conductor, and then prepare a concert for the same evening."

Lynch worked with the students for five hours on Friday before the evening concert.

"The performance is magical," said Lynch. "It's the first and last time that this group will exist."

The Honors Band included students from the following six high schools in Gogebic, Ontonagon and Iron counties: the A.D. Johnston Senior High School in Bessemer, the Luther L. Wright High School in Ironwood, the Wakefield-Marenisco High School, and the high schools from Hurley, Mercer and Ewen-Trout Creek.

Under Lynch's direction, the band played "Halcyon Hearts," "Reminiscence," "Circus Days" and "Excerpts from the Firebird."

Lynch plays the piano and all wind instruments and is a professor of music and the band director at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

He has received numerous awards for teaching and conducting excellence and is the founder of the professional chamber orchestra in Sydney, Australia.

In addition, he has directed the Northshore Concert Band in Chicago, the Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony, the Greater New York Symphony and the Kansas City Youth Wind Symphony.

Honors Band members are as follows, listed by instrument:

Flute

Sarah Lauzon, Ironwood; Lake Lohkamp, W-M; Meah Luoma, Hurley; Hannah Sandquist, W-M; Lily Nolan-Couillard and Skyleigh Pulkas, Ironwood; and Claire Nordhaugen and Erika Novocin, Hurley.

Clarinet

Nathan Jaunzems and Breanna Freeman, both of Ironwood; Emily Dums, W-M; Kendra Skoviera and Kaelynn Anderson, both of W-M; Willah Penegor, Ewen-Trout Creek; and Bryelle Persons, Mercer.

Bass clarinet

Aleandreya Schiiller, Ironwood; Aiden Galloway, Mercer; and Aurora Boydston and Makayla Montgomery, both of Bessemer.

Alto saxophone

Haylee Kulak, Drew Johnson and Bella Gaiser, all of Bessemer; Jacinta Lauzon, Ironwood; Ava Lopac, W-M; and Jensen Schey, Hurley.

Tenor saxophone

Bella Colley, Bessemer; Madelena Braucher, Ironwood.

Baritone saxophone

Noah Hofstede, Ironwood, and Hayden Wieler, Hurley.

Trumpet

Abigail Ruotsala, Bessemer; Talon Hughes, Joseph Lauzon and Aubrey Smith, Ironwood; Owen Miljevich and Tara Kendrick, both of W-M; Emma Besonen, Ewen-Trout Creek; and Sawyer Peck, Shayne Romosz and Justin Oja, all of Hurley.

Baritone

Mark Jaunzems and Ashley Kangas, both of Ironwood; Bree Besonen, Ewen-Trout Creek; Torryn Bryne, Hurley; and Jonah White, W-M.

Tuba

Natalie Cane, Hurley.

Percussion

Dennis Elam, W-M; Oliver Ciriacks, Mercer; Skyla Ballew and McKayla Jackson, both of Ironwood; and Peyton Howe, Jake Van Epern Braeden Klemme, all of Hurley.