The Clarke Central High School band’s wind ensemble performs in the Band Fall Concert in the E.B. Mell Auditorium on Oct. 21. In preparation for the concert, students practiced a total of seven pieces, which were split between the concert band, wind ensemble, percussion quartet and percussion ensemble. “We’ve worked on all of our pieces for a couple months since the first day of school, and we work on them every day during class. It’s normally a really productive class,” clarinetist Ruby Frye, a senior, said. Photo by Iliana Tejada
The CCHS concert band, wind ensemble, percussion quartet and percussion ensemble performed in the 2025 Band Fall Concert from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 21 in the E.B. Mell Auditorium.
Clarke Central High School band classes performed by groups in the annual Band Fall Concert before an audience of CCHS students, faculty and families in the E.B. Mell Auditorium from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 21.
Fine arts department teacher and CCHS Director of Bands Christopher Simpson and CCHS Assistant Director of Bands Jordan Raysor collaborated to organize the event, opting for a consecutive progression of instrumental groups split categorically into the concert band, wind ensemble, percussion quartet and percussion ensemble to create one complete performance.
Clarke Central High School band students in the percussion ensemble perform in the Band Fall Concert in the E.B. Mell Auditorium on Oct. 21. Horn player Olivia Chonkan, a junior, utilized feedback to improve her performance for the concert. “We had pretty good intonation and articulation throughout the pieces, and we tried to apply a lot of the comments that both our band instructor and outside people (gave) us,” Chonkan said. Photo by Iliana Tejada
The concert band class opened the event, playing “General Lee” by Karl L. King and “Fanfare for the Third Planet” by Richard L. Saucedo, before Simpson introduced the performing ensembles.
Next, the wind ensemble was brought in, composed of woodwinds, brass and percussion, to perform “First Suite in E-flat” by Gustav Holst, “October” by Eric Whitacre and “Voice of America” by King. The pieces included solos from several students, including clarinetist Ruby Frye, a senior.
“I was super excited to do (the concert) as a senior. It’s fun because you have the most experience and you know how everything runs,” Frye said. “Especially having a solo (in the wind ensemble), it was just super exciting. It’s something that just hasn’t really happened (for me) before.”
Clarke Central High School students, faculty and families attend the Band Fall Concert in the E.B. Mell Auditorium on Oct. 21. Horn player Olivia Chonkan, a junior, was influenced by the band’s positive morale going into the concert. “I think a lot of people were definitely very energetic about (the concert),” Chonkan said. “It was some people’s first concert, so the motivation was very high. I hope it can stay that way throughout the season.” Photos by Iliana Tejada
Following the wind ensemble, the percussion quartet composed of CCHS senior Guy Smolik, juniors Simon Scott and Easton Snipes and freshman Jonah Toon took to the stage to perform the piece “Black Racer” by Brian Blume on bongo drums, glockenspiels, cymbals and tom drums.
“The percussion quartet stood out the most,” CCHS parent Jessica Snipes said. “Each (percussionist) had their own kind of solo area, and it was just a lot of fun to watch.”
“I was super excited to do (the concert) as a senior. It’s fun because you have the most experience and you know how everything runs.”
— Ruby Frye,
CCHS clarinetist and senior
To round out the concert, the full percussion ensemble performed the closing piece, “The Stars Began to Burn” by Matthew Gillott. According to Raysor, the event marked the culmination of the students’ efforts from the beginning of the semester.
“From the concert band all the way to the percussion ensemble and wind ensemble, they all worked really hard to get where they were at. They just showed (it) on the stage,” Raysor said. “A lot of people don’t really get to just see (live) music in general, so letting (the audience) see all the hard work that students put in (is) really the main outcome.”
