THEY'RE WITH THE HONOR BANDS 9 QUARTZ HILL STUDENTS IN ELITE GROUPS.Byline: KAREN MAESHIRO Staff Writer QUARTZ HILL -- Nine Quartz Hill High School Quartz Hill High School is a public, co-educational high school located in Lancaster, California. Founded in 1964, it is the third oldest comprehensive high school in the Antelope Valley High School District (AVHSD). students have been selected for the All-State Honor Band and All-Southern California Honor Band. The nine budding musicians were chosen from thousands of students statewide who auditioned for spots on the band rosters. ``Usually, if we have one or two, it's outstanding. To have this many, I'm kind of floored,'' band director John McQuilkin said. ``They are hardworking and talented. Most of them are taking private lessons. It usually takes a little bit extra help to make it into one of these.'' McQuilkin said about 2,000 students auditioned for the state honor band by mailing in a CD recording of a performance of a college-level piece of music, and only 250 students were selected. Three Quartz Hill students were accepted into the state honor band and all play clarinet. They are junior Clark Crane and seniors Julian Jenkins Julian Jenkins (born in October 25, 1983) is an American football defensive end for the National Football League and is a free agent. Attended Woodward Academy in College Park, GA. He played college football at Stanford. and Tani Mitsch. Crane and four other Quartz Hill High students made it into the Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, honor regular band, and another two were chosen to be in the regional honor jazz band. The selections were made after the students auditioned at La Crescenta High School. ``There are amazing players in Southern California so it's really difficult,'' McQuilkin said. The five who made the regular honor band were: Crane; junior Lauren Bates Bates , Katherine Lee 1859-1929. American educator and writer best known for her poem "America the Beautiful," written in 1893 and revised in 1904 and 1911. , trumpet; sophomore Briana Berry, percussionist; senior Isaac Vail, trumpet; and junior Casey Mitsch, Tani's brother, trumpet. The jazz band selectees were bass player Joshua Crumbly crum·bly adj. crum·bli·er, crum·bli·est Easily crumbled; friable. crum  bli·ness n.Adj. 1. , a sophomore, and Steve Nelson
The Southern California honor band has performed a concert at California State University Enrollment  , Long Beach.
The jazz band is scheduled to play in February at Disneyland and California State University, Fullerton California State University, Fullerton, commonly known as CSUF, CSU Fullerton, or Cal State Fullerton, is a part of the California State University system. The University is located in the city of Fullerton, California, in northern Orange County. , McQuilkin said. The state honor band will hold a concert at a theater in Fresno in February. Crane, 16, said the process of getting into the bands has been a fun experience. He made the all-state band last year as well. He said he doesn't plan a career in music but will keep up with his clarinet playing. ``I will definitely keep it up through college and my life. Music is something you can continue throughout life,'' Crane said. McQuilkin has been Quartz Hill's band director for 27 years. No other school in the Antelope Valley Union High School District The Antelope Valley Union High School District (A.V.U.H.S.D.) is located in the Antelope Valley area of California, in northern Los Angeles County. The district includes eight public high schools, one trade school, and two continuation high schools in the cities of Palmdale placed students in the honor bands, he said. karen.maeshiro@dailynews.com (661) 267-5744 CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1) At right, Quartz Hill High School band director John McQuilkin directs students who were selected for state and regional honor bands. From left, sitting in front, are Tani Mitsch, Isaac Vail, Casey Mitsch and Lauren Bates. Standing in back, from left, are Clark Crane, Briana Berry and Julian Jenkins. (2) Joshua Crumbly, left, and Steve Nelson of Quartz Hill High School were selected for the regional honor jazz band. The jazz band is scheduled to play at Disneyland. Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer |
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