VHS BAND AND CHOIR STATE COMPETITION Rocking the opening of the Command Performance Concert at West High School Auditorium Saturday night was the VHS Jazz Band. Having competed earlier in the day, the VHS Jazz Band was selected among all Alaska high school instrumental jazz competitors to receive the Command Performance honor. Karen Gustafson, a UAF music professor and adjudicator commented, “Good balance, solid rhythm, mature group. I am so proud of you.” Valdez High School musicians brought home some other top honors last weekend from the State Solo and Ensemble competition held at UAA. Students participated in a variety of events for which they had previously qualified at Region competition three weeks ago in Delta. At UAA students, performed before professors and professional musicians in a variety of categories. They were given comments and a rating by the judges. Performances deemed outstanding in every category are considered “Superior.” Valdez students receiving Superior rating were the following: Christopher Cummins, piano solo Emily Doyel, cello solo Women’s Vocal Ensemble: Pameela Davis, Emily Chase, Lindsay Overduyn, Gabrielle Franklin, Hali Baczuk, Samantha Allen, Megan Walker, Emily Doyel, Storie Griffith, Morgan Johnson Handbell Choir: Mitchel Yrjana, Trevor Hawkins, Caleb Craig, Jacob Hillman, Devon Price, Timothy Kimble, Jared Bowden, Christopher Cummins, Rylee Norris, Stephanie Allen, Marian Wamsley, Connor White Jazz Band : Samantha Allen, Stephaie Allen, Jared Bowden, Caleb Craig, Christopher Cummins, Celeste Ditman, Trevor Hawkins, Morgan Johnson, Rylee Norris, Mickey Radotich, Connor White, Marian Wamsley, and Katya White Other performers performed well in vocal solo, sax duet, trombone duet, sax solo, piano solo and men’s vocal ensemble which included Dawson Bauman, Daile Disney, and Patrick Connor, and Danny Letendre-Gruber.