C¬es Strike Up The Band For Nation’s Finest Young Musicians (NAPSA)—Beingchosenfor the first-ever All-USA High School Band is a high note in any young musician’s career. At an early age, twins Jacqueline and Jennifer Cristen fell in love with music. Several years and countless flute and oboe lessons later, the Hamburg, N.Y. sisters are among 96 high school students named to the first-ever Hershey’s All-USA High School Band program. The honor is coordinated by Hershey’s Fund Raising and MENC: the National Association for Music Education, the world’s largest arts education organiza- tion with nearly 120,000 current and future educators representingall levels of instruction. Students were nominated by their teachers and singled out for their musical achievement, ALLAA MIGH=SCg BND tives. Among the honorees is South Lakes High School percussionist Kyle Brightwell from Reston, VA. Brightwell is the list’s only triple threat, mastering battery and mal- let percussion and timpani. “For these exceptional stu- dents, the All-USA Bandoffers an opportunity to excel and to earn academic prowess and community involvement. The band includes 18 principal chairs, each chosen to lead their respective instrument sections within the group. Finalists were selected by members of the 257th Army Band and the United States Army Band “Persh- his students, finalists David asked to balance commitments to Sean Strohm, 2nd trombone. “In the high school setting ing’s Own.” “High school musicians are family, academics, community, and their personal life, all while maintaining high musical skill levels,” said John J. Mahlmann, MENCexecutive director. “We felt it was time to recognize these outstanding students for their dedica- tion and hard work.” The listing represents high school students in 28 states and 89 schools. Seven schools were honored with two band representa- national recognition,” remarked Darren Johnson, band director at North Thurston High School in Lacey, Washington. “It is exciting to have an opportunity like this to challenge our most capable students.” Johnson nominated twoof McLemore, principle tuba, and where sports acknowledgements often outweigh musical ones, it is nice to see a program designed to spotlight a very deserving group of individuals,” said Cathy Frei- tag, mother of All-USA flutist Caryn Freitag of Malta, New York. For more information about Hershey’s All-USA High School Band and MENC, visit www.menc. org or www.hersheysfundraising. com.
