Union City Schools' Students Chosen For UTM Honor Band Festival

By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
 
Union City, Tenn.–There’s a reason Union City has long been considered one of the elite band programs in the state.
 
One need look no further than the University of Tennessee at Martin Honor Band Festival to determine why.
 
Ten UCHS students and another from the middle school were chosen to participate in the 40^th annual Honors Band Concert recently.
 
Daniel Edwards, Claire Thomason, Hope Kennedy, Madison Butner, Caleb Parker, Nijel Smith, Wade Clendenin, Cedrion Cook, Matthew Parr and Reed Hughey were all picked to participate in the three-day event on the UT Martin campus.
 
UC Middle School student CJ Lamb was also chosen.
 
Butner, who plays the French horn, was also the winner of the solo competition in the Wind Ensemble – considered the cream of the crop of 350 students selected to participate in the festival.
 
She will receive a $4,000 scholarship over a four-year period to attend UTM and be a music major.
 
Six of those UCHS band members in all were included in the Wind Ensemble and seven of those chosen from Union City’s representation were upperclassmen.
 
Students had to receive a recommendation from their own band director to be selected for the festival, which is essentially considered an individual competition.
 
There were some 40 Tennessee high schools represented, as well as band members from Mississippi, Kentucky and Arkansas.
 
UC Director of Bands Jason Deem said he considered four criteria before submitting anyone from his group.
 
“Musicianship, work ethic, responsibility and dedication – those are four important qualities I believe you need to be included in such an elite group,” Deem insisted. “I was proud to have so many members of our band that I believed possessed those traits and that I could confidently submit their names for this.
 
“It was a great opportunity for them to not only play with and become a part of a group of other talented musicians, but also play for a different conductor other than me.”
 
There were four bands chosen: the Wind Ensemble, made up of ninth- through 12-graders; a symphonic band that included juniors and seniors; a concert band that included freshmen and sophomores; and a middle school band.