Albany musician earns top rating at region contest

By Melinda L. Lucas

Albany High School student Rowdy New performed in the Region 6 Solo and Ensemble contest at Wylie High School in Abilene last weekend, earning a Division I on his Class 3 bass clarinet solo.

New was the only Albany musician who competed, according to Albany director of bands Jessica Watkins.

Students can receive a rating of 1-5 with one being the best. 

New’s solo was “Menuet and Bouree” by Johann Hasse.

 “The room Rowdy was supposed to perform in was running about 30 minutes behind,” Watkins said. “Sometimes that extra waiting time can make students nervous, but Rowdy was able to stay focused and perform at his best. I am very proud of him.”

New said that he was more nervous after his performance than during.

“I made Keira Caudel check the results posting for me, because I was afraid to look,” New said.

Music selections used for the contest are divided into three classes based on difficulty, with a Class 1 selection being the most difficult. Students must earn a Division I rating on a Class 1 solo and memorize the music in order to advance to the state contest later in the spring.

New, a sophomore, hopes to accomplish that before he graduates.

Band Trip

Most of the 46 members of the band will head to Dallas March 6-8 for the group’s spring trip.

They will visit the Dallas World Aquarium and the Dallas Zoo, as well as hearing an orchestra perform Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 at the Meyerson Symphony Center.

After that, they will continue preparing for concert and sight reading competition on Tuesday, April 1 at Cooper High School in Abilene.