All-state band students selected

Seven students from Tea Area High School made it into all-state band.

Senior Shannon Dancler is the first four-year member to make it from Tea Area. The tuba player said it is an honor to make it all four years of high school.

“It’s a cool feeling,” Dancler said.

Fellow senior Dana LeVan has made it into all-state band for three years, all-state orchestra for three years and all-state jazz band for two years. She auditions for all-state jazz band this month and will find out next month if she made it for a third year.

The percussionist takes private lessons in Sioux Falls. Both girls say their band teacher has prepared them for the auditions.

“She let us know everything that we needed to do and she gave us a packet with all the scales in it and a packet with sight reading examples and terms and I made flashcards for that,” Dancler said.

LeVan said they are fortunate to have Stephanie Wranek for band because she gets them ready.

“There’s a lot of schools where the teacher doesn’t prepare them as well and don’t get them all of the information that they need,” LeVan said.

Wranek said they have had students audition for all-state band almost from the beginning of Tea Area.

“I think we’ve had kids make it in every year. This is the most we’ve had get in,” Wranek said.

Fifteen students auditioned in Sioux Falls.

Other students that made it this year include Cayley Schmitt, senior clarinet; Kohl Courbat, junior tenor sax; Anna Klocke, freshman clarinet; Nathan Ochsner, freshman tuba; and Melissa Graue, freshman clarinet. Schmitt has been an all-state band member for three years. Courbat is one of four tenor saxophone players from the whole state.

Dancler will receive an award in recognition for four years in all-state band at the all-state band concert in Watertown April 2.

Both girls are looking forward to the music and catching up with friends from around the state.

“The people are really cool. It’s fun to see them,” Dancler said. “The music is really fun too.”

“It’s cool because you’ll see them at other music functions,” LeVan said.