Mediapolis Band News

137 students from Louisa-Muscatine, Central Lee, Columbus, Holy Trinity, West Burlington, Wapello, New London, Pekin, Notre Dame, Danville, Highland, Lone Tree, WACO, and Mediapolis made up the very first SEISC Junior High Honor Band. The event was held at Wapello. The guest Conductor was Dr. Carl Rowles who is the Director of Bands at Jefferson High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Mediapolis students who attended: Jackson Scott (trombone), Elijah Shaw (trombone), James Rappenecker (alto saxophone), Emma Thomas (percussion), Johanna Robinson (clarinet), Kamdyn Wagenbach (clarinet), Zoey Powell (trumpet), Natalie Howe (tenor saxophone), Genevieve Tadlock (flute), Joseph Dolph (clarinet)

102 students from Louisa-Muscatine, Central Lee, West Burlington, Wapello, New London, Pekin, Notre Dame, Danville, Highland, Lone Tree, WACO, and Mediapolis all came together to prepare a concert in ONE day! This year Danville hosted and the guest conductor was Mr. Jim Edgeton from Fairfield, Iowa.

Mediapolis students who attended: Ryan Zurmuehlen (11, trombone), Maximus Stucker-Williamson (12, clarinet), Anneliese Shaw (10, clarinet), Taylor McCracken (10, bass clarinet), Carley Petersen (10, percussion), Elliot Wilson (10, trombone), Samantha Parsons (9, clarinet), Myah Stucker (9, clarinet), Abbigail Mullins (12, tuba), Emily Schnedler (9, alto saxophone), Raya Steiner (9, clarinet)

Eleven Mediapolis Middle School students were selected and attended the 5th Annual Clear Creek Amana Middle School Honor Band on Saturday, February 22nd, 2025. Students attended rehearsals starting at 10 AM and performed a concert at 4 PM in the Clear Creek Amana Performing Arts Center in Tiffin, IA. The 6th Grade Band was directed by Mrs. Michelle Waymire who currently teaches at Vernon Middle School in Marion. The 7th Grade Band was conducted by Mrs. April Donlon who is one of the band directors at North Central Middle School. The 8th Grade Band was directed by Mr. Kevin Brown who teaches at Northwest Junior High in the Iowa City School District. Congratulations to all the participants on an excellent concert!

Students Accepted: 

6th Grade: Lainey Bell (clarinet), Leighton Roth (alto saxophone), Norah Esslinger (horn)

7th Grade: Kamdyn Wagenbach (clarinet), Johanna Robinson (clarinet), James Rappenecker (alto saxophone), Natalie Howe (tenor saxophone), Harper Toland (trumpet), Jackson Scott (trombone), Elijah Shaw (trombone)

8th Grade: Jude Schmidgall (trombone)

On Saturday, January 11, 2025 three Mediapolis students went through a vigorous audition process for the opportunity to be selected into the 2025 Southeast Iowa Bandmasters Association Honor Band. 7th grade students, Emma Thomas (percussion) and Kamdyn Wagenbach (clarinet), were selected into the junior high honor band. 9th grade student, Audrey Howe (flute), was selected as an Alternate and will be performing with the high school honor band. The honor band will take place on January 25th at the University of Iowa music building. Junior High Concert will begin at 4:30 PM and High School Concert will begin at 6PM.

SEIBA Honor Band Concert in the Voxman Music Building Concert Hall

On April 27, 2024, 5 Mediapolis 5th and 6th grade students attended the Southeast Iowa Bandmasters Association Elementary Honor Band at Iowa City West High School. The 1st year band was directed by Stephanie Nuss (currently teaches in Linn Mar School District) and the 2nd year band was directed by Kevin Brown (currently teaches in the Iowa City School District). Mediapolis was one of 23 schools in Southeast Iowa participating. Congratulations to the below students on an excellent performance!

Pictured from Left to Right: Addy Day, Mila Gerdom, Cole Newton, Jack Scott, Ruby Kelly

On April 13, 2024, six Mediapolis 5th Grade students attended the Coe College Elementary Honor Band which is a part of Coe College's Festival of Bands. Every year, Coe invites a composer to come work with musicians of all age levels. The composer works with elementary, junior high, high school, and college musicians during their time in Iowa. This year's composer was Carol Brittin Chambers. The students also worked with Mrs. Valerie Shanley throughout the day. At the end of a long day of rehearsals, the students put on a concert at 4 pm in the Sinclair Auditorium.

Congratulations to Nataley Hotstetter, flute; Emarie Frank, flute; Norah Esslinger, horn; Russell Klenk, trumpet; Graham Phillips, tuba; and Micah Wonderlich, tuba!

The Iowa Jazz Championships showcases 60 of the state's finest high school jazz ensembles. It is held in Ames every April and features 15 groups from each of the four Iowa high school classifications. All ensembles perform in the daytime preliminary competition, and the top two bands from each classification perform in the evening finals competition. The event was founded by Iowa jazz educators in 1976 and continues to be an important event on the Iowa high school music landscape each spring. 

The Band Department had 28 entries perform that day. Of those 28 events 23 received Division I Ratings from their judges and 5 events received Division II's. Events that received a Division I rating include the Woodwind Choir, Percussion Choir, Brass Choir, Flute Trio (Lily Nalley, Abigail Schmidgall, Macy Wagenbach), Clarinet Duet (Adrian Matteson/Maximus Stucker-Williamson), Euphonium Quartet (Isaac Smith, Myah Ford, Caleb Massner, Ethan Thomas), Clarinet Duet (Taylor McCracken/Anneliese Shaw), Saxophone Quartet (Tucker McLaughlin, Makenna Hein, Alexis Creelman, Savannah Kerr), Jesse Massner - Tuba Solo, Katy Schnicker - Timpani Solo, Lily Nalley - Flute Solo, Adrain Matteson - Saxophone Solo, Leo Chapin - Timpani Solo, Adrain Matteson - Clarinet Solo, Makenna Hein - Saxophone Solo, Maximus Stucker-Williamson - Clarinet Solo, Macy Wagenbach - Flute Solo, Tucker McLaughlin - Saxophone Solo, Isaac Smith - Trumpet Solo, Noah Smith - French Horn Solo, Alyssa Haynie - French Horn Solo, Myah Ford - Euphonium Solo, Jesse Massner - Piano Solo. Events that received a Division II rating include Marimba Duet (Kailea Swink/Leo Chapin), French Horn Duet (Alyssa Haynie/Noah Smith), Kylian McGuinty -Trombone Solo, Abbigail Mullins - Trumpet Solo, Ryan Zurmuehlen - Trombone Solo.

In addition, Jesse Massner was selected as the Outstanding Performer for his Piano Solo AND for his Tuba Solo. Jesse will perform in Ames in May at the Iowa High School Music Association's Outstanding Performer Showcase. 

Mediapolis students - Lily Nalley (9), flute; Alyssa Haynie (12), horn; and Tucker McLaughlin (12), tenor saxophone - traveled to Iowa State University to learn and perform at the 48th Annual Cyclone Honor Band Festival. Students began rehearsals on February 2 in preparation for their concert at 3:00 PM on Saturday, February 3, 2024 at the beautiful Stephens Auditorium.  Nalley and McLaughlin were members of the Cardinal band which was conducted by James Tallman from Washington Community High School (IL). Haynie performed wiht the Gold band which was composed of 90% Iowa All-State musicians. They were conducted by Dr. Frederick Speck who is a professor at University of Louisville.

On January 6, 2024, 5 Mediapolis students auditioned for the Southeast Iowa Bandmasters Association Honor Band. This audition is the same style of audition as the All-State audition that happens in the fall except now 7th and 8th grade students can audition for one of the two junior high bands as well. Among the accepted students from all over this corner of the state were two Mediapolis students. Alyssa Haynie (12th) was accepted on horn as well as Audrey Howe (8th) on flute. In addition, Noah Smith (10th) was selected as 2nd alternate for horn. Haynie and Howe participated in the honor band on Saturday, January 20th at the beautiful Voxman Music Building at the University of Iowa. SEIBA brought in the composers Aaron Perrine and Joni Greene to work with the high school bands. The high school band premiered two pieces and all four pieces performed were no older that 9 months. What an excellent opportunity for the students. Congratulations on all of your hard work!

On January 7th, seven Mediapolis students attended SEIBA Honor Band auditions at Fairfield High School. Students memorized scales and prepared advanced etudes for the audition. Mediapolis students - Audrey Howe (7th), Flute; Lily Nalley (8th), Flute; Macy Wagenbach (8th), Flute; Isaac Smith (9th), trumpet; and Adrian Matteson (10th), clarinet were recalled. Lily Nalley (8th), Flute; Macy Wagenbach (8th), Flute; Adrian Matteson (10th), clarinet; and Alyssa Haynie (11th), horn were selected to attend the honor band on January 21st.

The SEIBA Honor Band Festival/Concert was in the Voxman Music Building at the University of Iowa. The directors for the day were from the U of I including a U of I doctoral student, Mr. Cory Schmitt who conducted the Mortiboy Junior High Band; the Associate Director of Bands and Hawkeye Marching Band Director, Dr. Eric W. Bush who conducted the Voxman Junior High Band; and the Director of Bands, Dr. Richard Mark Heidel who conducted the High School Band. 

Congratulations to all who took part in this event!

On Saturday, February 19, Mediapolis 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students attended an honor band at Clear Creek Amana in Tiffin, IA. This band was made up of selected students from schools are around Eastern Iowa.  Students spent the whole day rehearsing and finished the day with a concert at 5:00 pm. The director of the 6th grade band was Mrs. Ashley Knobloch who teaches at North Scott Junior High in Eldridge, IA.  Mr. Mike Kowbel directed the 7th and 8th grade band. He is the Assistant Director of Bands at City High School in Iowa City, IA. 

Congratulations to these students for going above and beyond on their instruments!