Buhler High School Wind Ensemble: 1st Chair - Peter Wiens, 2nd Chair - Daniel Moore, 3rd Chair - Neil Pderson, 4th Chair - Brent Weaver

Hutchinson High School Wind Ensemble: 1st Chair - Maria Brockman, 2nd Chair - Eric Schmidt

Distrtict Band: Hutchinson High School - Eric Schmidt, Buhler High School - Mitchell Jaeger, Neil Pederson, K.T. Tucker, and Brent Weaver

Eric Schmidt is playing with the Hutchinson Symphony Orchestra

Carson Dosier is playing drumset with the Rock and Roll Strings at HMS7

Prosperity Concert Band:1st Chair – Colby Dinwiddie, 2nd Chair – Lexie Bass, 3rd Chair – Kyle Doerksen, 4th Chair – Hunter McQueen.

Hutchinson High School: Jazz I – Eric Schmidt, Taylor Crawford (keyboards)

Prairie Hills Jazz Band: Jazz Arts I – Logan Cain, Kaela Janzen / Jazz Arts II - J.C. Petitjean, Logan Cain (bass)

Prosperity Jazz Band: Colby Dinwiddie, Lexi Bass (drums and bass)

Prairie Hills Drumline: Quads – Kaela Janzen, Logan Cain / Center Snare – Tanner Webster / Front Ensemble Section Leader – Erin Monaghan / Bass Drum – J.C. Petijean

Ben Berridge - for placing 12th in the nation at the AAU Junior Olympics in Detroit, MI in July. Ben runs the 4x800 and the 800 meters.

Lexie Bass - for making drumset and bass in the Prosperity Grade School Jazz Band Auditions

Colby Dinwiddie - for making drumset in the Prosperity Grade School Jazz Band Auditions

Tanner Webster - for winning the position of center snare on the Prairie Hills Drumline

Kaela Janzen and Logan Cain - for winning the 2 tenor (quad) positions on the Prairie Hills Drumline

JC Petitjean for winning a position on the bass line on the Prairie Hills Drumline

Erin Monaghan for winning the position of Principal Front Ensemble on the Prairie Hills Drumline

Congratulations to Eduardo Ewing for being awarded Most Improved Mallet Player at Midwestern Music Camp at KU this June!
Way to go, Eduardo!

PDS student Kaela Janzen – Prairie Hills Middle School – was presented with the Outstanding Musician Award at the Hutchinson Community College Jazz Festival in Hutchinson, Ks – Jan-2008

Brian Moore - Senior - Buhler High School - was awarded as the Most Outstanding Musician at the Kansas State University Band Clinic in January. Brian was chosen winner of this award from over 700 students attending the clinic and was also given a $500 scholarship for being the outstanding musician. Brian auditioned and made the top chair in the top band - position of timpani player in the best of 6 bands. Congratulations to Brian!

Eric Sidebottom -Senior - Buhler High School - was chosen as the top percussionist at the KU Prairie Winds band festival this past weekend of Feb. Eric auditioned and made the top chair in the top band from a pool of several hundred students. In addition, Eric aryalso placed 2nd in the Anderson Concerto Competition in January. Congratulations to Eric!

Students making it into Kansas State Band will attend festivities at Kansas Music Educators Assn state convention the end of Feb.
Congratulations to: Brian Moore - Buhler High School Sr - chosen for first chair percussion/timpani in the state band.
Peter Wiens - Buhler High School Jr - chosen for first chair mallet percussion in the state band

Congratulations to: Peter Wiens - Buhler High School Jr - chosen for Kansas State Jazz Band - for KMEA convention in Feb.PDS

Other news:

Students performing in area musical performances are:

Newton Mid-Kansas Symphony Orchestra - Eric Sidebottom - BHS Hutchinson Symphony - Brian Moore - BHS
- Peter Wiens - BHS
- Joseph Frans - McPherson HS

Students performing in area church praise bands are:

Peter Wiens - BHS
Brett Brunner - PHMS
Patrick Osner - 6th grade - Kingman Methodist Church

Way to go! Keep playing!

KUDOS! Brandon Blackburn PDS alumni Brandon Blackburn - now a student at Rowen University, has been awarded New Jersey Jazz Society Scholarship Grant in the amount of $1000 and will be performing at the Pee Wee Russell Memorial Stomp in Whippany, NJ. Brandon currently studies with Dean Witten and Joe Morello (Dave Brubeck quartet) and will play with a jazz septet where he will choose and lead one the the tunes for the show. In addition, Brandon is selected for the 2008 NJIAJE Intercollegiate Jazz Band. Kudos to you, Brandon!

Brian Moore and Peter Wiens (Buhler High School) were chosen for Kansas State Honor Band.
Peter Wiens was also chosen for Kansas State Jazz Band.

DRUM SCHOOL NEWS & HAPPENINGS

KUDOS! Lots of KUDOS to PDS students and alumni........

PDS student - Peter Wiens - chosen for District Jazz Band

PDS students take top 3 chairs in District Band

Brian Moore - Timpani
Eric Sidebottom - Snare
Peter Wiens - Mallets

PDS students win positions in HHS Wind Ensemble

Addison Bell - Senior
Reed Woodworth - Junior
Maria Brockman - Freshman
Eric Schmidt - Freshman

PDS students chosen for Middle School Honor Band

Terry Wise - HMS 8
Ellyn Willse - PHMS

PDS students chosen for BHS Wind Ensemble

Brian Moore
Eric Sidebottom
Peter Wiens
Parker Rayl
Brent Weaver

Alumni News.......Wow!

Shane Nickels - KU, PDS, HHS - took 3rd place in Marching Snare Competition at PASIC (Percussive Arts Society International Convention) in Columbus, OH Nov 3, 2007.

Josh Frans - IU, KU, PDS, McPherson HS, - WON the Marimba Solo Competition at PASIC (Percussive Arts Society International Convention) in Columbus, OH Nov 3, 2007

Both solos, Shane's original composition, "Let Go" and Josh's performance of Rhythmic Jambalaya by Kevin Bobo, can be seen on Facebook and Utube. They are AWESOME! Take a look!

Congratulations to the following PDS students:

Turner Landon - HMS8 - QUADS
Abe Fangman - HMS7 - QUADS
Terry Wise - HMS8 - Center Snare

More Good News!

PDS Freshmen making the HHS drumline.

Eric Schmidt - Snare
Kaila Sneath - Snare
Maria Brockman - Quints
Robby Graham - Bass Drum

PDS Freshman, Eric Schmidt , is chosen for HHS Jazz II

Congratulations to the following PDS students winning positions in the Prairie Hills Middle School Drumline!

Lindy Sasse - Center Snare
Brett Brunner - Snare Line

Ellen Willse - Quads
Tanner Webster - Quads

Chynna Skinner - Bass

Congratulations to these PDS students:

J C Petitjean - Prosperity Jazz Band

Congratulations to the following PDS students for receiving ‘I’ ratings at DISTRICT Music Festival music on April 14th:

Elliot Arpin
Joseph Frans
Jake Haas
Tyler Hake
Brian Moore
Eric Sidebottom
Peter Wiens


Congratulations to these PDS students for outstanding ratings at STATE Music Festival on April 28th:

Joseph Frans – II – Excellent – Marimba Solo
Elliot Arpin - I - Superior - Original Marching Snare Solo
Jake Haas - I - Superior - Drumset Solo
Tyler Hake - I - Superior - Marimba Concerto Solo
Brian Moore - I - Superior - Marching Tenors Solo
Eric Sidebottom – I – Superior – Marimba Solo
Peter Wiens - I – Superior - Drumset Solo


Julian Liby – 7th grade, received the rating of ‘I+++’ for his drumset solo at the middle school music festival on April 24th.

Awards etc…….
Kudos to these PDS seniors winning awards from the Hutchinson Music Clubs recital competition at Hutchinson Community College.

Tyler Hake - $700 cash award
Elliot Arpin - $500 cash award


Upcoming performances:
Joseph Frans and Eric Sidebottom will be joining the Newton Mid-Kansas Symphony on May 4-6 in a performance of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana. The concert is at 4pm at the Bethel College Memorial Hall on Sunday, May 6th.

John Weidensaul – will present a percussion recital at Stringer Fine Arts Center in the Gallery Theater on May 17th, at 7pm. Also on the recital are Sam Hake and Ginger Zyskowski