Eight Miller Middle School students are named to All-Regional Band

Eight Miller Middle School band students were named to an All-Region Band after auditioning on Saturday, Nov. 14.

Alvin Close, an eighth grade trumpeter, was named third chair on the highest All-Region Band.

Eighth graders Hunter Randall, a trumpeter; Jaxson Sierra, a trumpeter; Evelyn Schlichting, a French Horn player; Nicolas Gonzales, a trombonist; and Nora Diebold, a trombonist, were named to the All-Region Band 2.

Eli White, a seventh grader trumpeter, was also named to the All-Region Band 2.

Alec Facundo, an eighth grade saxophone player, was named to the All-Region District band.

Each student will participate in a clinic and perform with their respective band in December.

Miller Middle School Band Director Daniel Maldonado said it’s exciting to have eight band members make All-Region.

“The region we’re in is pretty competitive,” said Maldonado. “So, to have eight of them make it. And, to have four of them are trumpets, that’s really exciting too. It makes us know that we’re using our time correctly. We spent a couple of days a week in class working on [all region music].”

Sierra and Schlichting, who both said they spent time before school and during lunch working on their All-Region music, believe making an All-Region band shows how passionate they are about music.

“Being at region, it’s the kids who are really passionate about music, and put a lot of work and time into playing their instruments,” said Schlichting, “Playing my instrument is what I love to do,” added Sierra, who said making All-Region, “just means you work really hard.”

Schlichting said it will be an honor to represent Miller Middle School at All-Region.

“Representing Miller is kind of cool because I know how hard the eighth graders from last year worked, and how a few of them did make region and the ones that did are really passionate about what they do,” said Schlichting. “It kind of rubbed off on me, and it shows how deep music can be. It’s kind of inspiring.”

Maldonado, who is in his third year as a band director at Miller, said it’s been exciting to watch his students grow, especially the eighth graders who he’s taught since arriving at the middle school.

“Since this is my third year here, they’re the first ones I had as sixth grade, so to see them in all three of their grades, it felt really nice to know they take it seriously and the things I’m trying to teach them are working out,” Maldonado said. “A few of them take lessons and all of that too. Just growth wise from the very beginning, not all of them even started out super strong either, and to see those, especially where they were even struggling when they were in sixth grade and now they’re placing highest in their region over 50-plus other students who are all really serious about their instrument, that’s exciting to see. I’m looking forward to seeing them in high school.”

The All-Region Band concert will begin at Claudia Taylor Johnson High School, 23203 Bulverde Road in San Antonio, at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9.