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Young musicians scoop up awards in Orlando festival
By JULIANNE WU © St. Petersburg Times, published May 1, 2001 SEMINOLE -- There was an air of jubilation Monday at Seminole Middle School. The school was abuzz over the musical prowess of 80 students who competed at the All American Music Festival in Orlando on Saturday and won several first-place trophies and "Superior" plaques. It was the school's first competition against other schools' music groups. Matt Boeggeman, 14, fulfilled a prediction he made last week that the group was "going to rock." He brought home a first-place trophy for his solo performance on the alto saxophone. Matt, an eighth-grader from Largo, said he was only nervous for a short time. "I had to play a solo in Cajun Folk Tales for the Symphonic Band's performance, but I didn't mess up," he said. "So I was okay after that." Four other members of the school's Symphonic and Jazz bands got first-place solo honors, including Max Epstein, piano; Eric Hempfling, oboe; Ryan Howard, trumpet; and Danielle Townsel, trombone. The Symphonic Band and the Jazz Band, under the direction of Chad Guess, and the 35-member Music Makers chorus, under Joey Miazga's direction, each won first place in their divisions. In addition, the 22-member Seminole Middle School Jazz Band was named overall Grand Champion, beating out five other middle schools and eight high schools. The competing schools were from Florida, Georgia, Alaska, Pennsylvania, North Dakota and New Jersey. "I think it's fabulous for our kids," said Guess. "They (both the band and chorus) worked really hard and raised lots of money for this trip. And, it all paid off." Max, 12, a seventh-grader from Seminole, played two instruments. "For the Jazz Band, I played the drum set, but I played solo (and won) on the piano," he said. Eric, 14, of Largo, was modest about his accomplishments. He won a first-place trophy for playing oboe at the festival. But he also plays clarinet, alto sax, tenor sax and piano, according to his mom, Lori Hempfling, a band volunteer and chaperone for last weekend's Orlando trip. "When Eric's name was announced first, the whole school went nuts," Mrs. Hempfling said. Mrs. Hempfling had high praise for Guess, who is completing his first year at Seminole Middle, comparing him to David Tagliarini, a popular Seminole Middle music teacher who left in April 1999 to become a Broadway musician. "Eric has had four band directors since he started middle school," said Mrs. Hempfling."Mr. Guess reminds me so much of Mr. T. Chad is so motivating, and the kids just love him." Joey Miazga, a 20-year teacher who is equally proud of her choral members' first-place showings, also praised Guess, who came to Seminole Middle after spending five years at the Soddy Daisy Middle School in Chattanooga, Tenn. "I was wowed by my kids' performance, but it was Chad who influenced me to take them into competition," Miazga said. "He is very inspiring." Miazga, the 1999 Pinellas County Teacher of the Year, said she now wants to enter her students in other competitions. "But, first, we have to prepare for a choral concert on May 21," she said. Guess is looking forward to his band competing again. "Absolutely," he said. "My goal is to one day take a band to Carnegie Hall. But to do that, we'd have to raise tons of money." -- Information from Times files was used in this report.
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