The Georgia All State Band final round of auditions were held on Saturday, Jan. 8, to select members for the 2022 Georgia All State Band. Without regard to their school’s classification, top band students from schools across the state auditioned, playing scales and etudes on their instruments for a chance to be recognized as one of Georgia’s elite middle and high school musicians.
The weekend-long clinic, to be held Thursday through Saturday, March 3 through 5 at the Classic Center in Athens, will allow band students to rehearse under renowned conductors and present a cumulative concert on March 5.
Among this elite class, nine students from North Gwinnett High School, nine from Mill Creek High School, 10 from Buford High School and seven from Buford Middle School were selected for the honor of playing in one of the All State bands. Four area students were selected in the first chair placements, Yuna Lim from NGHS, Hannah Jung from BMS, and Kevin Jin and Reece Moseley from Mill Creek High School.
The 10 students selected from BHS represent the highest number of All State students from the school’s history, the highest number of students selected from one school in all of Gwinnett County and the fourth highest number of students from any one school in the whole state, with 97 schools having had students selected from their respective programs, plus an unknown number of schools who had no placement.
“This is the highest number I’ve ever had in my career,” said Erik Mason, director of bands at Buford High School. “I’m so proud of these students and am so excited for the future of the Buford Band.”
Congratulations to the area All State members for 2022 and their teachers.
From Buford High School
Joseph Her – Trumpet
Paul Kwak – Trumpet
Peter Kwak – Clarinet
Josh Lee – French Horn
Rowan Martin – Clarinet
Clay Mason – Trombone
Jimmy Ragazino – Euphonium
Gabriel Silva – Trombone
Jaden Vo – Percussion
Savanna Wachter – Flute
Ray Choi – Trombone alternate
Directors: Erik Mason, Bridget Wildes
From Buford Middle School
Brielle Browne – French horn
Olivia Duong – French horn
*Hannah Jung – Flute (first chair)
Joshua Kim – Clarinet
Miley Kim – Flute
Omar Saucedo – Trumpet
Marely Vargas – Flute
Director: Kathy Mason
From Dacula High School
Alexia Toma — Flute
Director: Brooke VanKempen
From Flowery Branch High School
Andrew Mayhew – Alto saxophone
Sam Malone — Flute
Will Sweet — Trumpet
Director: Dennis Naughton
From Lanier High School
Morgan Nash — Trumpet
Director: Benjamin Tingle
From Lanier Middle School
Brian Choi – Clarinet
Director: James Stainback
From Mill Creek High School
Adam Conner – Clarinet
Suzanne Smith – Clarinet
James Armendariz – French horn
Kevin Jin — Clarinet (first chair)
Kayla Lim — Flute
*Reece Moseley — Principal percussionist
Michael Kaspro — Trumpet
Bradley Campbell — Trumpet
Alex Kahiga — Trombone
Margaret Ezell – Bassoon alternate
Tyler Whittaker – Clarinet alternate
Nate Hammond – Baritone saxophone alternate
Directors: Dean Patterson, Hannah Cavender
From North Gwinnett High School
Eunice Kim – Flute
Sanjita Prakash – Flute
*Yuna Lim – Oboe (first chair)
Rachel Cho – Oboe
Daniel Kim – Clarinet
Ian Moon – Clarinet
Cherilyn Kim – Flute
Ashley Yoon – Flute
Issac Jung – Percussion
Justin Oh – Trumpet alternate
Directors: Greg Gibson, Brandon Soloff
From North Gwinnett Middle School
Tristan Diaz – Percussion
Eileen Pak – Clarinet
Duchan Lee – French horn
Nathan Shin – Percussion alternate
Director: Travis Downs, Kevin Johnson
From Sugar Hill Christian Academy
Benjamin Jones — Trumpet (high school)
Jinho Byun — Trombone (middle school)
Director: Sherry Wiltshire
