County Band celebrates 50 years with Tamaqua festival

TAMAQUA – Half a century ago, two organizations came together to highlight the best scholastic musicians in our area and it’s still going strong.

More than 130 students from 13 schools across Schuylkill County took part in the 50th Schuylkill County Band Festival over the weekend at Tamaqua Area High School. Twelve musicians from Shenandoah Valley participated.

The Schuylkill County Band was established in 1975 through the combination of the Northern Schuylkill County Band and the Twin Valley Band Festival.

Since its inception, the festival has been held continuously, with the exception of 1976 in observance of the American Bicentennial and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The original festival lineup featured students from Blue Mountain, Minersville, Nativity BVM, North Schuylkill, Pottsville, St. Clair, Schuylkill Haven, Shenandoah Valley, and Tamaqua.

Over the decades, the ensemble has evolved, previously including schools such as Cardinal Brennan, Gillingham Charter School, and St. Clair Area.

Today, the festival features a robust lineup of talented musicians from Blue Mountain, Mahanoy Area, Marian Catholic, Minersville Area, Nativity BVM, North Schuylkill, Pine Grove Area, Pottsville Area, Schuylkill Haven Area, Shenandoah Valley, Tamaqua Area, Tri-Valley, and Williams Valley.

Guest Conductor Dr. Andrew Yozviak, Director of Bands at West Chester University, led the festival, echoing the first festival in 1975 which, also, was guest-conducted by a West Chester conductor.

Former Tamaqua Area band director Robert Hunt was inducted into the Schuylkill County Band Directors Hall of Fame. He served as Tamaqua’s director from 1965 to 1977 and was also the original host director for Schuylkill County Band.

Also on hand Saturday was the first director of Schuylkill County Band, Ms. Sally Bair, one of the first women to lead a high school band program in the county when she was director at Minersville Area.

A local standout musician was honored at the ceremony as well. Ben Bux, a Mahanoy Area student, received the Schuylkill County Band Scholarship.

Next year’s festival will be in Shenandoah.

Local Musicians

Flute

• Stephanie Brobst, Shenandoah Valley;
• Victoria Davis, Mahanoy Area;
• Trista Karosas, Shenandoah Valley;
• Ellie Miscannon, Shenandoah Valley;

Clarinet

• Alivia Sillers, Mahanoy Area;
• London White, North Schuylkill;

Bass Clarinet

• Josephine Kropp, Shenandoah Valley;
• Tanner Quinn, North Schuylkill;

Alto Saxophone

• Toby Gudinas, Shennadoah Valley;
• Valeria Hernandez, Shenandoah Valley;
• Rachel Sekula, Shenandoah Valley;

Tuba

• Ben Bux, Mahanoy Area;
• Joelle Karvois, Shenandoah Valley;

String Bass

• Addison Lesher, North Schuylkill;

Tenor Saxophone

• Jourdin Karvois, Shenandoah Valley;
• Breonna Zelinsky, Shenandoah Valley;

Baritone Saxophone

• Zach Kropp, Shenandoah Valley;

Trumpet

• Wyatt Bradley, North Schuylkill;
• Connor Daubert, North Schuylkill;
• Henry Evans, North Schuylkill;
• Victoria Hernandez, Shenandoah Valley;
• Alexandra Kachelries, Mahanoy Area;
• Anna Mourad, North Schuylkill;
• Cora Ortiz, North Schuylkill;

French Horn

• Autumn Hendricks, North Schuylkill

Trombone

• Hadley Heyer, North Schuylkill;
• Emily Morales, Shenandoah Valley;
• Gregory Stump, North Schuylkill;

Baritone

• Marcus Fisher, Mahanoy Area;
• Kayla Werner, North Schuylkill.

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