Category Archives: Band
Band – Year in Review
–A message from Mr. Toba–
Volunteers for Aurora Music Festival!
Hello all,
Thank you to all those who have already signed up to help at the Aurora Music Festival April 13 to 15th. We still have quite a few positions to fill and could use your help:
- Buying and setting up drinks and snacks for adults at the Festival (we have a budget to reimburse),
- Driving our guest conductors between their hotel and the festival site.
- Supervising students throughout the day.
Check out our Sign Up Genius Here!
If you have any questions please feel free to contact our chairs Dee Dee and Amy or Mr Toba.
Volunteers Needed for Aurora Music Festival!
Steller Secondary is so proud to present to our community the Aurora Music Festival! This is an awesome event for smaller school to travel to Anchorage and show off their musical chops. Steller students have participated every year for many years now, and we always do very well!
We would love for our Steller community to come support our stellar Band and Orchestra students. Schedules to come soon.
We are expecting almost 200 students, and will need volunteers to help make this event a great success for everyone! Please check out the form here, and sign up!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040b4eabad2eabf94-aurora#/
SPG news: All State Band and SPG Meeting
Steller Band Sends Two Students to All-State
Steller Band students, Sarah Duot-Kelley on flute and Bjorn van der Goore on bass clarinet, have been selected to participate with the 2022 Alaska All-State Band.
Bjorn is a junior and earned a regular chair. This is his 2nd year in a row with All-State Band. Sarah is a senior and this will be her first time.
“I am delighted to see these highly accomplished students go through such a competitive audition process,” said Mr. Toba, band director. “Participation for All-State is the pinnacle for high school musicians in Alaska. I am so proud of our All-Staters.”
The All-State Gala Concert will be held on Saturday, November 19, 2022, at West High School, starting at 6 p.m. Admission will be $10 for adults and $5 for students. The public is invited.
SPG Meeting: Tuesday, November 8th
Come one, come all!
Click here for the Agenda
Steller Band Sends ***Five*** Players to The All-State
The audition results for 2021 All-State Band are released. The All-State Band participation is one of the highest honors for high school band students in Alaksa. Steller will very well be represented by these highly accomplished musicians:
Bjorn V, sophomore, bass clarinet
Johnathen J, senior, tuba
Griffin L, senior, French horn
Xavier L, senior, bassoon
Kamyrn Ls, sophomore, flute
Furthermore, Griffin and Xavier are also accepted to play for the All-State Orchestra.
“This is by far the best year for Steller Band program, as far as the student achievements are concerned, ” said Mr. Toba, the band director. “Kamryn and Johnathen are alternates, which is still great because of the level of competitions for the auditions. Bjorn, Griffin, and Xavier earned the regular chairs. I just don’t know how to express my feeling now. These students did an exceptional job not only for themselves but also for the entire Steller Community,” said Mr Toba, Steller Band Teacher.
The All-State ensembles will rehearse from Thursday, November 18 through Saturday, the 20th, at Chugiak High School. The gala concert will be held on Saturday, November 20, at West High School. The admissions will be 10 dollars for adults, 5 dollars for students. Public is invited.
Submitted by Mr Toba
Well done to all the the Steller Students. We are all very proud of you. Thank you Mr Toba for your dedication to our student’s success and sharing this wonderful news with us.
Steller Parent Group
Steller Fall Concert
Fall Band/Orchestra Concert
Date: Monday, October 25, 2021
Time: 11:00 a.m.
Place: MPR *live on Zoom – no audience permitted due to the pandemic
Zoom Info
ID: 5493062529
Passcode: concert (all lower case)
Congratulations, Ishmael and Marley!
Congratulations, Ishmael and Marley!
Steller band students, Ishamel B. on alto saxophone and Marley M. on flute have been accepted to the ASD Middle School Honor Band (formerly known as JYSBO). Ismael and Marley attained the membership through competitive live auditions. “Ishmael and Marley put extra effort in to the audition etudes, and I am so proud of their achievement, ” said Mr. Toba, the band director. “I am positive that these students will enjoy and learn a lot from the honor band.” The Middle School Honor Band will meet on Mondays from October through March at Bartlett High School. The honor band will have three public concerts as well.
Well done Marley and Ishamel! The whole Steller Community is proud of you!
From Mr. Toba
Join Steller Band
- Meet in the first hour.
- Open to ALL Steller students. We prefer you to have at least one year of experience with traditional band setting, but we can work with you IF you know how to read music. Contact me ASAP. We do have some instruments for you to rent.
- You can qualify for state-level competitions, like All-State (fall) and state solo/ensemble (spring). Last year, we sent two students to All-State, two students to All-Northwest, and five students to the state solo/ensemble contest. Furthermore, two students made the command performance awards, which is one of the highest honors that high school musicians in Alaska can achieve.
- We plan to take an overnight trip to attend the Aurora Music Festival in April (tentative). It is a regional music festival for small schools mainly from the interior Alaska. Cordova will be the host.
- We have done very well for the band competition during the Aurora Music Festival. We were placed 2nd (2018) and 3rd (2019). We were unable to attend the festival for last two years because of the pandemic.
- Plan to have four school concerts (one in each semester).
- Have grown in enrollment. We are getting larger and larger in size.
- And lots and lots more!
Steller Band Students Win at the Command Performance
Steller Band Students Won the Command Performance
Xavier L on bassoon and Griffin L on French horn won the Command Performance Awards for 2021 Alaska State Solo/Ensemble Festival. Earning the honor is one of the most difficult tasks for high school musicians in state.
” I can’t find a way to express my feeling now for Xavier and Griffin”, said Mr. Toba, the band director. “Despite the fact we are under the pandemic, these highly motivated students did much more than they were expected. I am very, very proud of the boys.”
Because of the COVID, there will be no actual Command Performance, but Xavier and Griffin will receive certificates and pins.
Well done to both of you Xavier and Griffin! And thank you to Mr Toba for your dedication to our students.