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This past Saturday's festival highlighted schools from all over northwest Michigan that were competing against high standards of music performance with critique from some of the finest professional music adjudicators in the state.

"From everything I've heard so far É middle school and high school alike, this band outplayed them all in regard to following and creating dynamics," sight-reading adjudicator, Carl Gippert (37-year, veteran teacher, Farmington, Mich.), said.

This is the seventh of nine years the Kalkaska Middle School bands have qualified to advance and qualify to perform at State under the leadership of Craig M. Chissus, director of bands at KPS.

"More than the sun was shining at band festival this past Saturday and I couldn't be more proud of this remarkable achievement," Chissus said. "Quality daily rehearsals, home practice, parental encouragement, awesome chaperones to help ease nerves and one combined 7th and 8th grade evening rehearsal with a special guest conductor all contributed to a rating with four solid ones."

Of the band's performance, adjudicator and music educator of one of the Upper Penninsula's finest band programs, Alan Jacobus, said, "Nice march style, very nice transitions, and good attention to dynamic contrasts É good teaching is very evident É I really enjoyed this performance today - musical and exciting. Thank you."

"It's these exemplary achievements that attract families to our fine district - four superior ratings by our middle school concert band," Chissus said. "It was awesome for the students and parents to experience a real concert band sound in the Elk Rapids band room and auditorium, rather than a gym," Chissus said. "I can only hope a strong effort backed with grants and much community support we will see in our lifetime an outstanding acoustically sound performance auditorium at Kalkaska schools."

Chissus is inviting the community to any of the upcoming performances:

March 5: MSBOA District Middle School Honor's Band, 7 p.m., at Grayling High School. March 8: Michigan Band & Orchestra Association District Jazz Expo: Kalkaska High School Jazz Band, 12:45 p.m., at Lars Hockstad, Central Grade School, in Traverse City. March 13: Disney World mandatory parent meeting at Kalkaska High School, 7 p.m., with Band Booster meeting to follow. March 15: MSBOA State High School Solo & Ensemble, all day, at Manistee High School. March 29: Kalkaska High School Symphonic & Jazz Bands perform on Future World Stage at Disney's Epcot. Time to be announced.