Concert Honors Late Band Director
By Sarah Naron
Messenger Reporter
GRAPELAND – A total of $13,365 was raised during an auction which took place during the annual spring concert of the Grapeland Sandie Bands – this year designated as the Perry Frank Memorial Concert & Auction – held Sunday, May 6 in the Lorena Shoultz Auditorium at Grapeland ISD.
“We’ve only got six seniors graduating, and we should have around 20-25 kids coming into the band next year,” said Band Boosters President Tabitha Richey. “So, we’re going to need new instruments and new uniforms for the new kids coming in. That was the reason for our fundraiser this year.”
The auction is the band’s main fundraiser each year, said Richey.
“Last year, we raised right at $10,000,” Richey reported. “The year before that, I think it was a little over $7,000.”
Titled “Peaks and Valleys,” the concert featured the sixth grade band performing “Latin Magic,” “Dragonfire” and “Trumpet Hero.”
The seventh-grade band then took the stage to present “March Slav,” “Star Wars,” “Dueling Dragons” and “Summit Fanfare.”
Rounding out the performance was the Grapeland High School Band playing “Then Basses,” “On a Hymnsong of Philip Bliss,” “Blue Ridge Saga,” ‘Simple Gifts,” “Cumberland Cross,” and a marching show preview.
The sixth grade band includes flutists Te’Lia Arthur and Jordan Pettit; clarinetists Kara Jackson and Maddison Marze; saxophonists La’Shae Arthur, Isaac Edwards, Orion Green and Laden Whitt; trumpeters Colton Boehm, Jalynne Chastain, Justin Ellington, Weston Goodnight, Slade Harris, Jessie Perry, Brooklynne Roop and McKenzie Smith; French horn players Katelynn Barrett and Lillian Dailey; trombonists Michael Lott, DaQuan Lott and Wendy Perez-Maldonado; euphonium players Kalani Barnett, Dusty Lowery and Jax Vickers; tuba players Stormie Lowery and Christian Smith; and percussionists Casey Baker, Deston Dunn, Tessa Morgan, Cameron Taylor and Jaylien Williams.
The seventh grade band consists of flutists Jennifer Minter and Dalyn Thomison; clarinetists Cyshia Black, Cailyn Chapman and Alexis Lopez; saxophonists Marley Duhon, Cole Goolsby and Gabriel Rangel; trumpeters De’unte Batts, James Musick, Eron Peterson and Ahmad Shepherd; French horn players Emily Hanna and Colbey Singer; trombonists Lianna Brown-Ratliff and Justin Mars; tuba player Nicholas Rea; and percussionists Dayne Brazzil, Jayce Elliott, Parish Futch, Holton Jones, Johnny Lamb, Stalye Thomison and Omarian Wiley.
The high school band is composed of flutists Kaylee Francis, Christi Shepherd, Wyatt Webb and Alysha Williams; clarinetists Hannah Anderson, D’Angelo Colter, Macy Cutler, Arionna Davis, Ashlyn Hughes and Hanna Lucas; saxophonists Gabriel Anderson, Cierra Espinoza and Makayla Smith; trumpeters Cheyenne Bowman, Cayden LeBlanc, Taylor Mars, Madilyn McCombs, Stacy Perez-Maldonado and Walker Webb; French horn players Alyssa Dilli, Jaycee Graham, Preslie Reynolds and Dustin Weinert; trombonists Makayla McCombs, Cameron Shepherd and Bryan Perez-Maldonado; tenor saxophonist Kamryn Dilli; baritone saxophonist Aliyah Brown-Ratliff; tuba player Ashton Henry; euphonium players Travis Barrett, Trent Henry and Spencer Martin; and percussionists Gracie Conner, Janassiah Creag, Justin Cutler, Aaron Davis, Matthew Gardner, Blake Howard,Cameron Navarette, Peyton Prater and Amy Puga.
The bands are under the direction of Becky Keisling.
Ansel Bradshaw held the role of auctioneer.
Special thanks was extended to GISD Superintendent Don Jackson, GHS Principal Rick Frauenberger, the Grapeland Band Boosters, GHS art and theater instructor Callie Barge and the art students of GHS.
