Two eighth grade students from Clarke Middle School will participate in the 30th Annual Simpson College Orpheus Honor Band Festival on Tuesday, January 22, 2019. Calhoun Lundquist, son of Peggy and Ryan Lundquist, was selected on trombone to represent Clarke in the Red Honor Band. Riley Elsbury, daughter of Mary and Miles Murphy, and Jillian and Shawn Elsbury, was chosen on trombone to represent Clarke in the Gold Honor Band. These students have been rehearsing the honor band music with their teacher, Christie Stortenbecker, the Clarke Middle School band director, in order to prepare for the festival. Band members were chosen not only based upon written recommendations from their band teachers, but also to provide proper instrumentation for two balanced honor bands of equal playing ability. Both of the honor bands are named for Simpson’s colors—the Red Band and the Gold Band. Students from 47 different schools have been given music to practice prior to the festival.
On the day of the festival, all of the students will rehearse together during the morning and afternoon as an ensemble for the first time. Then that evening, they will present a concert for the public. Each of the two honor bands has approximately 95 members apiece. The concert will begin on January 22, 2019, at 6:30 P.M. with a performances by both of the middle school honor bands. All of the performances will take place in Pote Theatre at the Blank Performing Arts Center on the campus of Simpson College in Indianola. The concert is free and open to the public.