Freshman and percussionist for the Clarke Central High School band Jade Scott poses in Room 630 on Jan. 11. Scott was admitted to the Georgia Music Educators Association All-State Band in her first year in band, but found some challenges in her preparation which included practicing scales, etudes, and sight-reading. “It’s hard to practice (percussion) as much,” Scott said. ”You won’t have that access for (percussion) instruments at home, because they’re usually a lot more expensive than most instruments.” Photo by Daniel Cruz
Freshman Jade Scott qualified for the Georgia Music Educators Association All-State Band, which will perform on March 2 at the Classic Center in Athens.
On Jan. 8, freshman Jade Scott, a percussionist in the Clarke Central High School band, learned that she would be accepted into the Georgia Music Educators Association All-State Band for freshman and sophomores. On Dec. 12, The CCHS band announced via their Instagram that Scott had also earned a spot in the GMEA District-14 Honors Band.
The GMEA sponsors a district and state band annually to showcase the state’s most proficient band students at the high school level. The process for making the All-State Band involved two rounds of preliminary auditions where band members sight-read and demonstrated their abilities to perform scales, etudes, and prepared pieces. Participants who gain the most points in the first round make it to the GMEA District-14 Honors band and advance to the second round where they have a chance to make the All-State band.
“I was really surprised (to hear I qualified for the band). I didn’t think I was gonna get in because it’s just really hard to get in,” Scott said. ”People from all over Georgia auditioned for it so I was just really surprised and I was excited.”
CCHS fine arts department teacher and Director of Bands Christopher Simpson sees Scott as a dedicated member of the band, a characteristic he believes helped her make it into the All-State Band.
“(Scott) is the first person in the door and the first person that I usually see,” Simpson said. “Even going back to March of last season, she was really the person that was spearheading a lot of the sectionals that the marching band percussion did. (She) is a leader in the sense that a lot of students gravitate towards her.”
“(Jade Scott) is the first person in the door and the first person that I usually see. Even going back to March of last season, she was really the person that was spearheading a lot of the sectionals that the marching band percussion did. (She) is a leader in the sense that a lot of students gravitate towards her.”
— Christopher Simpson,
Director of Bands
Scott will perform with the All-State band at the Classic Center in Athens on March 2. As a minority, Scott believes that her achievement serves as a positive influence on fellow peers looking to make the band.
“(Being a minority and achieving this) feels special. I’m glad I get to represent my community. and I’m just really proud,” Scott said. “I feel like a lot of people are just scared to apply because they’re scared they won’t get in, and it is hard to get in but I think that anyone can do it.”
