Sara Southwood, Riley Weaver, Walker Runyan, Jordan Ghaim, Zach Domrese, Marissa Shirk, Deanna Fuller, Shelby Ledbetter, Zach Dunham, Luke Sanders and Alex Gracie all members of the Avon High School Band directed by Jay Webb, Matt Harloff and Robert Burns, have been selected to participate in the 51^st Annual Indiana High School Band Festival sponsored by the Indiana Bandmasters Association.

Each student earned this honor by participating in a highly competitive audition held early in January at nine centers across Indiana. Nearly, 700 talented young musicians applied to audition.  A selection committee then review tape recordings form each center.  One hundred sixty-seven outstanding high school band members have been selected for participation in the 2011 Festival.

Dr. Jeffery Doebler, Director of Bands at Valparaiso University, will direct the 84 piece Indiana All – State Band. In addition to the regular Indiana All-State Band, there is a select Honor Band.  Professor Jay Gephart, Director of Bands at Purdue, will direct the 86 members Indiana All-State Honor Band.

All members will participate in a series of activities including seating auditions, sectionals, and full rehearsals from Friday March 11 through Sunday March 13. A grand Finale concert will be presented to the public on Sunday March 13^th, at 2:30 pm in the Elliott Hall of Music on the Purdue University – West Lafayette campus. Directions to Elliott Hall of Music may be found on the IBA website at www.indianbandmasters.org

Photo:  Walker Runyan has accepted Baritone Saxophone 1st Chair in the Honor Band.

Avon High School Senior and tuba player, Zach Domrese, has been selected to play in the All-American Honors Orchestra which will perform at Carnegie Hall on Saturday, February 19, 2011.

Domrese has been with the Avon Marching Black & Gold all four years winning 3 National Championships and 3 State Championships as well as an Avon Wind Ensemble member for 3 years. He has been in both the Indiana Music Educators Association ((IMEA) and Indiana Bandmasters Association (IBA) All-State Bands in 2010. He will be in the IMEA Honor Band again in 2011 and will audition for IBA All-State this January. Domrese also received a Gold rating last year at the State Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) Solo competition.

This series challenges elite students to perform at their very best. Students rehearse and perform under master conductors and have the opportunity to perform before invited representatives from collegiate and professional music programs. Though much of the student’s time is focused on performance preparation, the week also allows students to experience the best of the sights and the performance arts in New York City.

The Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall was established to showcase some of the most talented student performers in high school today. Through director nomination and selection process, accomplished students are brought together in New York City with peers to comprise the Honors Choir and Honors Instrumental Ensembles.

Trumpet Player Scott Burns

Mellophone Player Sara Southwood

Color Guard Samantha Knight and Ashley Ricketts all Earn Elite Status

AVON, IN (October 19, 2010) – Scott Burns, Samantha Knight, Ashley Ricketts and Sara Southwood of Avon High School, Avon, IN, have been selected to be members of the 2011 U.S. Army All-American Marching Band. Burns, Knight and Southwood will join an elite group of musicians who will perform during halftime at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl on Saturday, January 8, 2011, at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

“The U.S. Army has a long musical history and being an Army musician is one option the All-American Bowl showcases to young Americans,” said Col. Derik Crotts, Director of Strategic Communications, Marketing and Outreach, U.S. Army Accessions Command. “The mental, emotional and physical qualities necessary to be a successful band member are the same qualities mirrored in Army Strong Soldiers. We are proud to honor all of our U.S. Army All-American Band members and congratulate them on their selection.”

The U.S. Army All-American Marching Band recognizes the top 125 high school senior marching musicians and color guard members from across the country, showcasing their talents during the largest celebration of high school football in America, the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, televised live on NBC at 1:00 p.m. EST.

The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is the premier high school football game in the country held each January in the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The game features the best high school football players in the nation, and has helped launch the careers of Adrian Peterson, Mark Sanchez, Tim Tebow, Michael Oher (from the movie “The Blind Side”), and many other college and NFL stars since its inception in 2001. The game also crowns the U.S. Army Player of the Year during Bowl Week in San Antonio.

Selected musicians are chosen by the U.S. Army All-American Marching Band Selection Committee consisting of The National Association for Music Education (MENC), Drum Corps International (DCI), Head Director and Show Coordinator Nola Jones, and All American Games.

The U.S. Army Accessions Command (USAAC), a subordinate command of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, meets the human resource needs of the Army by transforming volunteers into officers, warrant officers, and enlisted Soldiers. In providing the force, the 18,400 men and women of Accessions Command prepare these future Soldiers and leaders for their initial military training. Commanded by Lt. Gen. Benjamin C. Freakley, USAAC is located at Fort Knox, Ky.

The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is owned and produced by All American Games, a New Jersey-based sport marketing and event management company. National sponsors of the All-American Bowl include the U.S. Army, American Family Insurance, Athletic Republic – the Official Performance Training Center, beRecruited, Choice Hotels, DCI-Drum Corps International, DeMoulin Uniforms, Football University, Jupiter Band Instruments, Rivals.com, Russell Athletic, San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau, Schutt Sports, The National Association for Music Education, and Zildjian Cymbals. For more information on the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and its related events visit www.usarmyallamericanbowl.com & www.goarmy.com/events/aab.