KINGSBURG - Perhaps trumpet player Dominic Harris is the next Miles Davis.

Perhaps not.

But the sky seems to be the limit for the Kingsburg High School junior as he and eight of his fellow bandmembers participated with honor bands around the county earlier this year.

Harris along with Matt Nygren, upright bass, and Kevin Yokota, drums, are all juniors who participated with the Fresno Madera County Music Educators Association honor jazz band. Harris was also recognized by the California Band Directors Association with a seat on the All-California Honor Band and the All-Northern California Honor Band for 2005.

Anya Muradian, senior flute player, also couldn't be happier about her accomplishments. She qualified and participated with both the California Band Directors Association All-State Honor Orchestra as well as the Fresno Madera County Music Educators Association Honor Orchestra.

For a band director it is a great accomplishment to have so many musicians named to honor bands and KHS Band Director Mike Schofield had 11 of his musicians named to honor bands this year.

"Flute is good for me, because it's an extension of myself," says Muradian. "When you think of flute players you think of all these catty girls, but we all get together and form these really strong bonds. So it's great getting to perform with them."

Performing with ensembles of musicians from all over the state offers talented musicians like Harris and Muradian the opportunity to really excel. "You get to play with people that really care and work hard for the music," Muradian said.

Harris said that having performed with the FMCMEA honor jazz band, the All-State and All-Northern bands previously, he prefers the honor jazz band. "It's less about teaching and more about just playing what you feel, rather than the more classical approach."

(April 30, 2005)