×
X logo

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox.

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)

You may opt-out anytime by clicking "unsubscribe" from the newsletter or from your account.

Marshall County Musicians Headed to State Conference

Photo by Alan Olson Musicians and educators practice their performance at Moundsville Middle School. From left are Kathy Fox, Christie Robison, Hannah Lynch, Isaac Woods and Amanda Rine.

Marshall County students were among the handful selected to participate in the West Virginia State Music Conference in Charleston in early March, and are now diligently preparing for their time to shine.

The conference features musical performers from throughout the state. Across the state, a total of 26 performances will be heard, including four from Marshall County.

Two of the four vocalist performances to be held at the March 2-5 conference were selected from Moundsville Middle School, as soloist Amanda Rine, and the trio of Hannah Lynch, Isaac Woods and Savannah Soltesz will perform the evening of March 2.

Moundsville Middle music teacher Kathy Fox attributes the success of music programs in Marshall County to the strong support of the administration, in conjunction with the strengths of the performers.

“I think we’re really fortunate to have the support of the principals and the administration,” Fox said. “We’re here all the time, the kids are willing to work, I’m here with them. It just comes down to the fact that we have the support and the kids are willing to work.”

Rine said she most looks forward to watching the other performers, selected from the best in the state.

“They’re all going to be incredible, because they picked really good performances. These ones are like, wow,” Rine said. “I grew up singing, my dad is worship leader at our church, so I’d sing there … and I grew up loving to sing.”

“Our teacher, Mrs. Fox, really encourages us to try and do new things, and makes us do music that’s harder and harder every day,” Woods added. “We ended up really liking (this piece of music), so we decided to go with it.”

Soltesz was invited to the conference last year as a soloist, making this her second year performing.

From John Marshall High School, a percussion quartet ensemble was also selected to represent their school, consisting of Kailey Filben, Joseph Lucey, Madi Blake and Alexa Jasinski. Of the quartet, only Filben had prior training in percussion.

“It’s a really big honor, because so many people submit applications on lots of different things,” Filben said. “For us to go on as as percussion group, when most of us aren’t percussionists, is really great.”

John Marshall band and theater director Tracey Filben said the other three members put in overtime to learn a new instrument in time for next weekend.

“They did a couple after-schools, a couple Saturdays,” Tracey Filben said.

Moundsville Middle School’s musicians will be performing March 2 in Charleston, while John Marshall’s will perform March 3. Kailey Filben and Blake will stay through the weekend and will also perform in the All-State Band and All-State Orchestra afterward.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

COMMENTS

Starting at $4.73/week.

Subscribe Today