Kamiakin Junior High’s Music Department is proud to have another large contingent of accomplished 8th grade musicians accepted into this year’s Junior All-State Band & Orchestra. These students include: Joey Donahue, trumpet; Shannon O’Neil, bassoon; Jeremy Harrison, baritone saxophone; Seo Huh, violin; Abby Bergman, flute; Emily Peterson, percussion; Aimee Richardson, flute; Joel Frostad, violin; Jeff Roetcisoender, trumpet; Leslie Fisher, flute; Ben Hayward, tuba; and Chris Potter, string bass.

Kamiakin also set a new school record for the highest number of 9th graders ever accepted into All-State Band. These students include: Keegan Taggart, trombone; Amy Harger, clarinet; and Logan Heine, baritone saxophone.

Many professional musicians credit their WMEA (Washington Music Educators Association) All-State experience as crucial in their decision to choose music as a career. Thousands of others whose career paths took them in other directions have great memories of participating in this inspiring and motivating musical experience and claim it was a life-changing experience for them. Well-known Washingtonians who have participated in past years’ WMEA All-State groups include the Seattle Post-Intelligencer’s Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist and columnist David Horsey, 2008 National Teacher of the Year Andrea Peterson and jazz saxophonist Kenny G. A complete list of past members from Kamiakin can be found at: www.kamiakinband.org.