Bartee earns Div. I rating with tuba solo

By Sandy Morris

Senior musician Sidney Bartee competed at the UIL Region 6 East Zone Band Solo and Ensemble competition at Abilene Wylie High School on Saturday, Feb. 27.  

Bartee earned a Division 1 rating with her tuba solo of Nocturno.

Bartee was accompanied by Sandy Abel on the piano.

Albany band director Will Vaughan said Bartee did an excellent job.

“To advance to state, Sidney would have needed to play her solo from memory,” said Vaughan. “We didn’t have time to accomplish that, but she did an amazing job.”

The AHS band will attend the UIL Concert and Sightreading contest March 30-April 1 at Abilene Wylie. 

“We won’t know our exact date and performance time until a few weeks prior to the competition,” said Vaughan. “We will perform three pieces and then sightread a piece given to us.”

The band will perform Band in the Square by La Plante, Joy by Ticheli and Pinnacle by Grice.