SMSD Student Musicians Perform at KMEA

Shawnee Mission School District (SMSD) students are joining musicians from across the state to perform at this year’s Kansas Music Educators Association (KMEA) 2024 In-service Workshop.

Students auditioned and earned the opportunity to perform in a variety of instrumental and vocal All-State Honor Groups. 

These students are considered to be among “the best of the best” in the state. All-State concerts are being held in Wichita February 22-24, 2024.

Shawnee Mission will also be represented by three ensembles selected to perform in convention concerts. Those are the Bluejacket Flint Elementary Mallet Ensemble, the Shawnee Mission East Blue Knights ensemble, and the Shawnee Mission North Jazz Ensemble Band.

“These ensembles highlight the amazing music education taking place in Shawnee Mission and in Kansas,”shares SMSD Superintendent Dr. Michelle Hubbard.

Under the direction of music teacher Sydney Seratte, the Bluejacket Flint Elementary Mallet Ensemble features auditioned fourth through sixth graders.  The ensemble group has been preparing since August and grown into a dedicated group raising the expectations of what elementary students can accomplish in music.

Shawnee Mission East Blue Knights ensemble is directed by Alex Toepfer, director of bands at SM East.  The top auditioned jazz ensemble at SM East, is one of two jazz ensembles available as classes during the day. The Blue Knights perform several educational jazz festivals around the region, consistently earning high ratings and honors.

Shawnee Mission North Jazz Ensemble, led by SM North Band Director Chad Reed, is one of the premier ensembles in the SM North music department.  Students in the jazz ensemble maintain an active performance schedule, serving as ambassadors to the school and community.

Dr. Bill Thomas, SMSD performing arts coordinator, expresses “These concerts performed by the ensembles are fine examples of the excellent teaching and inspiration our music educators provide every day.”

Here is a list of SMSD students performing in KMEA ensembles, choirs, orchestra, and bands:

Jazz Band

SM East - William Barcus, Brennen Barnes, Nash Ohlund, Hudson O'Neill, and Ruby Wagner

SM Northwest - Mason Barth

SM South - Emma Krueger, Alex Piezuch, and Elijah Rasmussen

Orchestra

SM East - Hazel Ecklund-Johnson, Evelyn Holmes, Valerie Hsiung, and Amanda Sun

SM Northwest - Kayla Carpenter, Andrew Mitchell, Clare O'Malley, Julian Jones, and Wolfgang Sell

SM South - Clark Blair and Sylvia Brown

Band

SM East - Max McMahon, Eli Moon, and Anson Tippie

SM North - Christian Adams, Henry Duff, Anahi Silva, Eva Taylor, and Gregor White

SM Northwest - Samantha Ellison, Belle Mayne, Lucia Ohly,  and Amber Quint

SM South - Reuben Fick, Alex Piezuch, Ellie Piezuch, Elijah Rasmussen, and Iason Wilson-Brown

SM West - Heidy Gomez-Calderon, Allison Mehnert, Robert Palmer, and Maren Tims

High School Choir

SM East - Katherine Piraquive

SM North - Scarlett Marchman, Ryleigh Meade, Finley Murphy, and Hank Pendergraft

SM Northwest - Ellison Bonge, Luke Dent, Sarah Elias, Kai Grimm, and Alex Houghtlin

SM South - Gwyneth Brown, Galen Coffman, Ian Dodson, Molly Hannan, Henry Lamiech, and Eve Snyder

SM West - Jaxon Hendrix, Reece Madsen, Ava Myers, Kaitlyn Rongish, Aubree Smith, and Creighton Smith-Allaire

Middle School Choir

Indian Woods - Samantha Wilson

Trailridge - Connor Hirsch and Duncan Hirsch

Westridge - Olivia Travis

 

SMSD Students Selected to KCDA (Kansas Choral Directors Association) All-State Choir:

Indian Woods

Britney Alvarado-Romero, Kathryn Fitzpatrick, Kat Harvey, Genevieve Hoffmann, and Janet Ramirez Savinon

Trailridge

Charly Barrett, Delaney Close, Jackson Foust, Jane Qualls, and Ella Thornton

Westridge

Joely Nickerson