LARNED — Larned High and area musicians qualified for state competition at the Larned Regional Solo and Small Ensemble Festival Saturday at LHS and Larned Middle School.
The regional was coordinated by Larned High band director Marc Webster and his wife Diane, the school’s vocal director .
The Larned High School musicians recorded 24 “I” (or outstanding) ratings, the highest level awarded in vocal and instrumental performance, in solo or small ensemble. A I rating earns an automatic bid for state competition.
Larned qualifiers will compete at Class 4A State at Andover, April 28. Class 1A qualifiers from Macksville and Pawnee Heights will compete at Stucky Middle School in Wichita.
Solos and groups from Pawnee Heights, Macksville and Kinsley also competed.
Larned solos receiving a I rating in Instrumental were Gabriel Cowell, high brass; Sarah Liston, clarinet; Derik Trimmer, high brass; Kwinter Hartshorn, low brass; Jessica Johnson, saxophone, Sarah Liston, saxophone; Michael Wysong, low brass; Bryce Gevara, percussion; Lindsey Higgins, flute/piccolo and Gina Wray, flute/piccolo.
Vocal entries with I ratings were Rachael Herter, Gina Wray, Jacey Bishop and Michael Wysong.
Ensembles receiving a I rating were Instrumental, Large Mouth Brass, Woodwind Choir, Brass Choir, Percussion Ensemble, Clarinet Trio and Flute Trio.
Vocal emsembles earning I ratings were Beginnings, mixed ensemble; JHV, girls ensemble; Mixed Octet, mixed vocal ensemble and “Darrkk,” a girls vocal ensemble.
Instrumental solos receiving II ratings were Chase Penka, high brass; Gina Wray, saxophone; Abigail Ayre, saxophone and Mariah Emily, saxophone.
Earning Vocal II ratings were Abigail Ayre; Ethan Banman; Jessica Johnson and Haley Roberts.
Pawnee Heights student  Jayton Salmans received a I rating on his high brass solo.
Pawnee Heights’ other entries were Aaron Clapham, II rating, vocal solo; Marti Faubion, II rating, vocal solo; Men’s Quartet, IV rating, boys’ vocal ensemble; and Pawnee Heights Vocal Ensemble, III rating, mixed vocal ensemble.
Receiving a I rating for Macksville High School were Alex Ponce, vocal solo; Stefany Ortiz, vocal solo; Brianna Evans, vocal solo; Alexis Johnson, vocal solo; Macksville Girls Ensemble No. 1, girls vocal ensemble; and Girls Ensemble No. 2, girls vocal ensemble.
Also performing were Macksville students Keira Parr, II rating, vocal solo; Lisa Penner, II rating, saxophone solo; Macksville Woodwind Trio, II rating, single reed ensemble and Macksville Trumpet Trio, II rating, high brass ensemble.
Kinsley students earning a I rating were Annie Eaton, vocal solo; Cameron Smith, vocal solo; Haven Chambers, vocal solo; Annie Eaton, high brass instrumental solo; Domonique Marquez, clarinet solo; Laurin Wagner, clarinet solo; Austin Tiemann, low brass solo; Girls’ ensemble, girls’ vocal ensemble and Mixed ensemble, mixed vocal ensemble.
Also performing for Kinsley were Ashlie Espinosa, II rating, flute/piccolo solo; Domonique Marquez, II rating, vocal solo; Carly Locke, II rating, vocal solo.