COVID-19 forced many events, including musical activities, to stop.
However, the Lone Star College-Kingwood Music Department found creative ways to train students during the pandemic. The efforts paid off when 12 music majors made the two-year All-State Band and Choir. They also attended the annual Texas Music Educators (TEMA) Convention in San Antonio, which included seminars and a large exhibit hall with vendors from all aspects of the music industry.
"The students spent four days intensely rehearsing music with nationally known clinicians from Baylor University, which was a huge opportunity for them," said Dr. Todd Miller, department chair of Visual and Performing Arts at LSC-Kingwood.
Under Dr. Eric Wilson, clinician, the All-State Band comprised of students Flavio Capro and Ana Landy, flutists; Eddie Lopez, trumpeter; and Christian Michalsky, trombonist. The All-State Choir, with clinician Dr. Stephen Gusukuma, included Taryn Hemsing and Victoria Hunt, sopranos; Marisa Espitia and Cecilia Ramirez, altos; Isaac Recio, tenor; and River Engel, Juan Moreno, and John Skipper, basses. Additionally, Recio and Skipper won solo auditions.
"I am very proud of these students who worked so hard to achieve entrance into the All-State Choir and Band. They won the right to have an intense musical experience with their peers from around the state under the leadership of nationally recognized talent, Miller said. "This will only help them as they move on from LSC-Kingwood and transfer to any university as they work to achieve their musical career goals."
The LSC-Kingwood Music department will hold auditions for band, choir, orchestra. To schedule an audition or receive more information on the music program, email Todd.R.Miller@LoneStar.edu.
Register now for credit classes online through myLoneStar. Classes are offered days, evenings, or weekends in traditional, online, and hybrid formats. For more information or to register online, visit www.lonestar.edu/registration. For general information about Lone Star College-Kingwood, call 281.312.1600 or visit www.lonestar.edu/kingwood.
Lone Star College offers high-quality, low-cost academic transfer and career training education to 93,000+ students each semester. LSC is training tomorrow’s workforce today and redefining the community college experience to support student success. Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., serves as chancellor of LSC, the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area, and has been named a 2021 Great Colleges to Work For® institution by the Chronicle of Higher Education and ranked 35th in Texas in the Forbes ‘America’s Best Employers By State’ list. LSC consists of eight colleges, seven centers, eight Workforce Centers of Excellence, and Lone Star Corporate College. To learn more, visit LoneStar.edu.
LSC-Kingwood students earned a spot on the two-year All-State Band ensemble.
LSC-Kingwood students made the All-State Choir ensemble.
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