By Robert Tomlinson
News Director
THREE RIVERS — A Three Rivers Middle School student will soon be showcasing his trumpeting talents for the entire state to see.
Carson Palmer, an eighth grader at TRMS and a trumpet player in the middle school band, was selected to be a member of the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association’s (MSBOA) All-State Middle School Band. The band will be performing in the Steelcase Ballrooms at DeVos Hall in Grand Rapids on Saturday, Jan. 25 at 9:30 a.m.
Palmer is one of 16 trumpeters that were selected for the band through an audition process that included hundreds of middle school band students across the state playing a wide variety of instruments. The 16 trumpeters in the band, which included Palmer, were selected out of nearly 90 middle school trumpeters that auditioned.
“It’s a great feeling to see the growth that’s happened from him since sixth grade,” Three Rivers Community Schools Band Director Cheryl Thomas said about Palmer. “It’s a joy to have him in band. He’s a great leader, and he’s developing into an awesome trumpet player. It’s neat to have that in our band.”
For Palmer, he is only into his third year playing the trumpet after picking it up in sixth grade when he joined the middle school band program. He said it was “surreal” to make it into the All-State Band, as he only auditioned for the experience of doing so.
“I had literally zero plan of making it in. I just did it as an experience, and I ended up making it in somehow,” Palmer said. “I thought it’d be good help with performing in front of people, auditions, just helping my musical career. My private lesson teacher, [Mai Lan] Vo, she encouraged me to do it, and I just went along with it because I had nothing else to do.”
For his audition, Thomas said Palmer had to sign up and pay a fee, then prepare scales and perform them by memory, as well as perform an etude, a piece of music that challenges a student’s technical and lyrical ability. His audition was done in a recording room at Three Rivers High School, was recorded by a band or orchestra teacher, and submitted electronically to the MSBOA, where a middle school trumpet judge reviewed and judged his performance.
When Palmer heard he got selected for the band, he said he was just as surprised as his friends were proud of him for making it. That’s especially because he only wanted to go into the band program in the first place because he thought it’d be a nice thing to do.
“Choir and gym didn’t interest me; I thought it’d be a nice experience. My mom told me I could get some good friend groups in it, and I definitely did,” Palmer said. “I feel like I found my place, 100 percent, through band. I wouldn’t be where I am without it.”
Prior to their performance on Jan. 25, Palmer will have a couple of days of rehearsals with the All-State Band in Grand Rapids, which will be directed by Jamal Duncan, the Assistant Director of Music Undergraduate Studies and Wind Symphony Director at Arizona State University. The musical selections that will be played are “Springtime Ride” by Erika Svanoe, “Burn After Reading” by Andrew David Perkins, “Evergreen Escapades (A Northwestern Adventure)” by Adrian B. Sims, “Grace Before Sleep” by Susan LaBarr and J. Eric Wilson, and “Skyward, Fanfare for Wind Band” by Katahj Copley.
One of the biggest things Palmer said he’s looking forward to is to meet new people (although he confessed he doesn’t necessarily like talking to other people often), performing in front of a crowd at DeVos Place, and being with other musicians on the same level as him.
“I am looking forward to performing, because it’s a whole show with an art exhibit, and it’ll be really nice to have a lot of other musicians that are on my level of expertise and being able to play some new pieces with them and having that multiple-day experience over the weekend,” Palmer said.
“When you get into that big band, and there’s plenty of people in that performance, you kind of fade into the background and you become one with the musical performance. So, it doesn’t really freak me out that much, but it’ll definitely be extraordinarily fun to be able to put on a show for so many people.”
Thomas said Palmer is one of the leaders of the middle school band, saying she’s proud of him for taking up that leadership role through his musicianship. Palmer said being considered a leader was a nice thing to hear, as well as an honor.
“It’s an honor to be able to lead so many other people, and when I get up to that level, be that high schooler to another person, be that leader to them,” Palmer said. “I feel like I always wanted to perform in front of people and lead people and show them by example, because I know there’s so many people in high school, and famous people and celebrities and stuff I’ve looked up to that have led me.”
Overall, Palmer said he’s grateful to have been selected to such a prestigious band in the state.
“It’s an honor to be the only kid from Three Rivers Middle School or High School to make it into All-State,” Palmer said.
Robert Tomlinson can be reached at 279-7488 or robert@wilcoxnewspapers.com.
