Cape High students make all-state concert, jazz bands, choir

After not being able to perform in groups during the pandemic, the number of Cape High musicians and choristers who earned all-state concert band, jazz band and choir honors is enough to fill a small orchestra.

Choir Director Marian Sunnergren said she had to teach fundamentals in September, when all students returned to school full time and in person for the first time since March 2020.

“They have now gotten back to the level they were vocally before the pandemic,” Sunnergren said. “It was obvious how much they lost over COVID.”

This year, all 10 Cape High students who auditioned for a spot made All-State Choir. They are Haley Archambault, Alexis Barker, Hadyn Carter-Hanson, Nicole Cordner, Reilly Fagles-Carey, Federico Giovannitti, Emily Groll, Avery Silicato, Kayla Sponaugle and Gabriella Windsor.

Band Director Chris Burkhart said some of his students hadn’t played together since middle school, and they pushed each other to succeed.

Encouragement from their peers helped 12 Cape High students make All-State Concert Band; three of those students earned first chairs for their instruments, Burkhart said.

Making the All-State Senior Band are Cape High students Josh Turek, trumpet; Mackenzie Vitolo, clarinet; Amelia Bickel, French horn; Federico Giovannitti, percussion; and L Williams, flute.

Selected for the All-State Junior Band are Cape High students Grayson Baltzar, percussion; Amelia Phelps, trombone; Aidan Hudson, French horn, first chair; Clay Wakefield, trumpet, first chair; Anna Coverdale, oboe, first chair; Katie Costello, flute; and Christopher Emmett, euphonium.

Additionally, seven Cape High students made All-State Jazz.

“There are nine possible first chairs, and all seven of our students were first-chair players,” Burkhart said. “We also had a sweep of the rhythm section. The piano, bass, guitar and drummer were all from Cape along with the lead trumpet, lead alto sax and first chair bari sax player.”

Cape High students making All-State Jazz are Josh Turek, lead trumpet; Chance Trumbauer, lead alto sax; Sara Dawson, bass, first chair; Brenden Groll, drums, first chair; Elliott Bastian, guitar, first chair; Marcus Gromofsky, piano, first chair; and Ben Koly, bari sax first chair. Koly was also was accepted to the group on trombone, but opted for saxophone.

“This success shows how much they hustled,” Burkhart said.

Upcoming concerts include a jazz band performance Friday, May 13, at The Bandstand in Rehoboth, and the spring band concert Wednesday, May 18, and spring choir concert Tuesday, May 24, both at Cape High. Full details are on the calendar at capehenlopenschools.com.