Batchelor Middle School musicians earn high honors in state competitions

Norm Crampton
·1 min read
For the first time, Batchelor Middle School's seventh-and eighth-grade musicians in both band and choir received the “All Music Award” for performances sponsored by the Indiana State School Music Association.
For the first time, Batchelor Middle School's seventh-and eighth-grade musicians in both band and choir received the “All Music Award” for performances sponsored by the Indiana State School Music Association.

Batchelor Middle School's seventh-and eighth-grade musicians recently earned a rare honor.

For the first time, both the BMS band and choir received the “All Music Award” for performances sponsored by the Indiana State School Music Association, according to a news release from the middle school in Bloomington. It was the band's fourth All Music Award and the first for any Monroe County School Corp. choir.

To receive the All-Music Award, BMS reported, school musicians must earn gold ratings in:

  • a solo event, and Batchelor musicians received 14 such ratings;

  • an ensemble event, and Batchelor musicians earned nine gold ratings;

  • the Jazz Festival, also a Batchelor gold winner.

BMS musicians performed at a festival in February at Bloomington High School North; at Perry Meridian High School, Indianapolis, in March; and at Shelbyville High School in April. They earned gold ratings at all festivals, BMS reported.

“We had a terrific year in band,” Joel Brainard, director of BMS music, said. “The Concert Band had 41 members, double the previous year — we rebounded from the COVID atrophy."

According to the news release, Brainard is the only director in Indiana who led both a band and a choir to such high honors. Five other schools also achieved the honor, but had different directors for band and choir.

“Not only did we grow, but we grew in talent," Brainard said, "Our most talented members have evolved from the sixth grade band program. This year we had two students in the All-Region Honor Band and three students make the Junior All-State Jazz Band.

“I feel so grateful to work with these kids, and I'm going to miss this eighth grade class,” Brainard said.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Batchelor Middle School band, choir both earn All Music Award