Seven Great Bend Middle School students were selected for the Kansas ASTA Middle Level State Wide Orchestra which performed April 22 in Hutchinson.
Addie Ehrlich was chosen for violin 1; Paige Morgan, violin 2; Grace Dougherty and Karlee Dougherty, viola; Andrew Falck and Kirsten Miessler, cello; and Thain Bowman, bass.
Selection for KASTA (Kansas American String Teacher Association) Middle Level State Orchestra is based on teacher recommendation and the review of on-paper audition forms by the player selection committee. Being selected as part of the KASTA is an amazing experience for GBMS students, instructor Alyssa Lane said.
Lane picked the students who have shown real dedication this school year and who truly enjoy orchestra. With so many talented students this year, the decision was hard, she said. This group is considered an “honors orchestra,” and being selected represents an opportunity for as many fine players as possible from as many schools as possible to create a “mountain top experience” that inspires the participants to encourage and inspire follow students in their respective school orchestras.
This year the clinician was Cody Toll from Manhattan Public Schools.
“I remember going to KASTA in middle school as it was one of my fondest memories of middle school orchestra,” said Lane. The kids have the opportunity to play with a diverse group of middle school students from 15 schools in Kansas that they have not played with before. This showed the students how other kids their age are playing and inspired them to keep doing what they are doing so well.