Band together

For most of the 500 or so who platooned in and out of the Cleveland gym on May 17 for the spring concert, it was their first time inside the new school addition.

While they were entertained by concert arrangements that spanned from Beethoven to Lady Gaga, director Erik Hermanson took the opportunity to express his gratitude for them supporting the new school addition, including the gym and the new band practice room next door.

"Anyone whose tax dollars went toward this, thank you so much, Hermanson said. "It’s incredible. I want to make sure we earn it and do everything we can to make Cleveland proud."

The Sixth Grade Band opened the concert. The group started last summer social distancing in the old gym and done many of their lessons on line as well as practicing in small groups in the old band room and Town Hall, Hermanson said.

"Throughout their instrumental lives we’ve been in the pandemic. They’ve done so incredible. You should be proud of them."

Members of the Seventh and Eighth Grade Band practiced all over, including at home, in garages and fish houses, but were separate the whole year until last week, Hermanson said. The Ninth through 12th Grade Band also rehearsed in school, at home and in the Town Hall. Most of the group got together last week, but as some members are distance learners, they have never practiced together.

"Just the adventure we’ve been through," Hermanson said.

The John Phillip Sousa award is typically presented to the outstanding senior musician, but this year Hermanson awarded it to entire class of 2021: Brianna Connor, Jackson Gibbs, Ben Griffiths, Clay Klassen, Alex McCabe, Halle McCabe, Nicole McCabe, Blake McVenes, Megan Miller, Isaac Mueller, Eric Rohlfing, Jill Rohlfing, Cameron Seely, Tyce Shook, Elijah Sullivan, Daniel Vetter, Serena Williams and Macey Ziebarth.

They stuck with the program even though the usual band trips did not happen, and they rehearsed all year before getting a chance to play for an audience.

"I have been on an incredible road with them since they were in sixth grade," Hermanson said. "There is no way I could choose. All of them have given so much. It would have been easy to say haven’t been playing for a year, we’re just going to work on our studies until college. But they didn’t. I'm so glad that they stuck it out and continued to practice and finally got a chance to perform."

The afternoon, available for viewing live on line, was all that jazz, with seven bands performing.

The concert started with Friday Zero-Hour Band, which is made up of 6th and 7th graders. Following them was Thursday Zero-Hour Jazz, all 8th graders.

On stage next was Tuesday Zero-Hour Jazz, which is mostly freshman but also includes two eighth graders.

With freshmen and sophomores, Thursday Third-Hour Jazz was next. It earned a superior rating at the state contest in solo and ensemble.

Tuesday Third-Hour Jazz followed. It consisted of all sophomore and one freshman, Laci Hollerich. The group earned a perfect score of 40 at the state solo and ensemble contest.

Consisting of juniors, Thursday First Hour Jazz was next. It also earned a superior rating at state contest. Trumpeter Morgan Mueller won The Louis Armstrong Award for the outstanding jazz soloist among all grade levels.

"She was an outstanding soloist all year," Hermanson said, “performing fantastic solos on both of her band's selections at the region/state solo and ensemble contest and at the home spring concert. She is only a junior, so look for more great solos to come."

Finally came Tuesday First-Hour Jazz, which consists of juniors and seniors. It also earned a superior at state contest. Griffiths took home the Woody Herman Award, given to a jazz band member for his or her outstanding contributions to the jazz program and their ensemble.

Griffiths switched from trombone to drum set to help the bands balance the band’s instrumentation a few years ago, and became an excellent drummer, Hermanson said.

"He has been the steady force behind the Tuesday First Hour Jazz band all year. At the contest he helped pace the band to a superior rating. Then, when our the Thursday First Hour Jazz band had its drummer fall ill on the day of the contest, Ben stepped in with no rehearsal on the tunes and drummed them to another CHS superior."

Other than a small pep band during a basketball game last winter, a Cleveland band hasn’t performed for a general audience since February 29, 2020, when then juniors and seniors played with a guest artist at St. Peter High School.