By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI—On May 5, the Morenci Unified School District Bands and Mariachi presented a Cinco de Mayo Spring Concert in the high school multipurpose room. Benedetta Cargile directed the event, which was assisted by Gene Willey.
The Fairbanks Middle School Beginner Band, the FMS Concert and Intermediate Band, the high school Concert Band, and Mariachi Corona de Morenci performed.
Selections performed by the FMS Beginner and Intermediate Bands combined included Ode to Joy by Ludwig van Beethoven, Island Breeze by John McCallister, Galactic Adventure; the Intermediate Band and Concert Bands combined included A Jubilant Spirit and Night Fury by Carol Britten Chambers; the FMS Concert Band included Blackthorn March by Randall Standridge; the MHS Concert Band included March of the Dragons by Mike Collins-Dowden, Blazing Clarinets by Andrew Balent, and Disney Around the Bandroom arranged by Jonnie Vinson. Mariachi Corona de Morenci included De Colores, La Valentina, Cielito Lindo, Las Galondrinas, La Lorona, El Caballito, Los Loureles, and Como la Flor.
A final selection involved all groups performing the fight song, On Wisconsin by Purdy, with Maldonado’s arrangement.
Recognition bestowed on the high school groups, the marching band included Excellent (EAC Band Day), 8th place (U of A Band Day), and 14th place (AzMBA 1A State championships); and on the concert band Good (ABODA High School Concert Band Festival) and Excellent (EAC Large Group Concert Festival); and on the Fairbanks Concert Band, Excellent (ABODA Elementary/Junior High Concert Band Festival).
Mariachi Corona de Morenci (10)
The 10-member group included seniors Roselyn Dorrell (violin/vocals), Angel Martinez Flores (guitar/vocals), Manuel Grijalva Jr. (violin/vocals), Jeremy Knutsen (guitarron); juniors Emma Kerrigan (trumpet), Blanca Macario (violin/vocals); sophomores Alandra Dalton (guitar), Mina Gastelum (vihuela), and Hailey Leanos (vihuela); and freshman Kamille Bernal (clarinet/vocals),
MHS Concert Band (30)
A 30-member high school Concert Band consisted of six seniors, six juniors, nine sophomores, and 11 freshmen. The instrumentation included 16 woodwinds, eight brass, and six percussion.
The group had seniors James Anderson (alto saxophone), Philson Benally III (clarinet), Manuel Grijalva Jr. (baritone saxophone), LilyAnn Jweinat (bass clarinet), Jeremy Knutsen (percussion), and Gabriela Provencio (percussion); juniors Margarita Aguilera (clarinet), Maxwell Clancy (trombone), October Hernandez (flute), Destiny Lamoree (percussion), Johnny Madrid (clarinet), Alilee Spean-Austin (baritone); sophomores Alandra Dalton (tenor saxophone), Ximena Esparza (clarinet), Isabella Fagone (alto saxophone), Kirsten Ferrell (tuba), Robert Hobbs (alto saxophone), David Jacobson (trumpet), Bryce McGahee (trombone), Miles Romero (percussion), and Avery Wiltbank (flute); and freshmen Jolie Anderson (flute), Kamille Bernal (clarinet), Catalina Garcia (percussion), Matthew Goodwin (trumpet), Carson Hobbs (tuba), Nathaniel Jweinat (trumpet), Alizza Pearson (flute), Serenity Robourn (percussion), and Ryan Sullivan (alto saxophone).
FMS Concert and Intermediate Band (31)
A 31-member Concert and Intermediate combined band had seven eighth graders, 13 seventh graders, and 11 sixth graders. The instrumentation was 14 on woodwinds, 10 on brass, and seven on percussion.
The 8th graders were Kianey Castaneda (clarinet), Maddox Fallow (percussion), William Henrie (trombone), Anthoni Ordish (trumpet), Averix Rios (percussion), Tamra Sipes (clarinet), and Riley Stephenson (alto saxophone); the 7th graders were Caleb Greene (percussion), Calvin Conway (percussion), Max Esparza (percussion), Kristofer Hartman (alto saxophone), Landon Hobbs (percussion), Mason Merrill (trumpet), Christiano Milheiro (alto saxophone), Dexter Morris (trombone), Eli’jah Purcell (percussion), Yamilet Sainz-Altamirano (flute), Owen Steinberg (trumpet), Elizabeth VanDam (flute), and Payton Wiltbank (clarinet); and the 6th graders were Remmy Beck (alto saxophone), Arya Burnette (flute), Aviana Dominguez (trombone), Jace Dominguez (trombone), Joseph Naccarati (clarinet), Jerusha Nannepaga (flute), Manuel Ortega (trumpet), Eric Pearson (trumpet), Haddie Porter (clarinet), Elias Sauls (alto saxophone), and Jeremiah Stephenson (trumpet).
FMS Beginning Band (22)
A 22-member Beginning Band included two eighth graders, a seventh grader, five sixth graders, and 14 fifth graders. The instrumentation was 12 on woodwinds, five on brass, and five on percussion.
The listed members were 8th graders Marcos Mancilla (tuba) and Gabriel Tachie-Mensen (percussion); 7th grader Lyla Glenn (flute); 6th graders Cora Demieville (percussion), Aubrey Hernandez (flute), Analeah Loving (clarinet), Emma Ogas (flute), Madison Ogas (trombone); and 5th graders Julian Aguilera (trumpet), Xolani Bernal (percussion), Yesenia Cabrera (trombone), Jose Delgado (alto saxophone), McKenzie Donovan (flute), Caleb Flores (flute), Shayla Goodwin (percussion), Natalie Gualtieri (clarinet), Zale Lefevre (French horn), Loretta Norman (clarinet), Zayne Sanchez (flute), Makiah Talgo (percussion), Lily Towle (clarinet), and Reagan Tsinnijinnie (clarinet).
