Take note and start spreading the news: Ell Bennington, a junior at West Plains High School and a trombone player with the Zizzer Pride Band, has joined the ranks of accomplished musicians who have performed at Carnegie Hall.
Bennington and father Cody Sanders left Feb. 7, flying from Memphis, Tenn., and Charlotte, N.C., to New York City to take part in the Honors Performance Series, sponsored by the WorldStrides Organization. West Plains High School Principal Ryan Smith and Zizzer Pride Band Director Rocky Long, also traveled to the Big Apple to see the student perform.
Getting there began with a highly selective process involving the nomination of a student by a music educator, then being sent music to rehearse, then a performance of that music recorded and sent as an audition.
The Honors Performance Series ran through Feb. 11, a whirlwind of rehearsals with some sightseeing thrown in. The performers had the challenging task of meeting their bandmates, being given pieces to rehearse and having two eight-hour rehearsal sessions, one each on Feb. 8 and 9, plus a rehearsal Feb. 10 and a sound check before their performance that evening. The performance was four pieces, lasting about 30 minutes. On Feb. 11, Bennington took in a last look at New York City, for the time being, and headed home.
Relating the experience to the Quill after the dust settled form the trip, Bennington said the size of the stage at Carnegie Hall itself inspired awe, describing it as "massive and gorgeous."
There were 97 musicians from 48 states including Alaska, and some U.S. territories, such as Guam. It was good to perform with other musicians of the same age with the same enthusiasm, focus, ambition and dedication to their craft, commented Bennington, who was one of seven trombonists in the ensemble.
The selection for the Honors Performance Series Band and consistently high competition ratings should earn scholarship money, besides being an amazing memory for the teen. The conductor/director of the Honors Performance Series Band, Dr. T. Andre Faegin of Central Washington University, has offered to write a letter of recommendation for college and scholarship applications.
Sanders recalled of the experience that Faegin made a point to remind the young performers how impressive and talented they were, particularly considering the group had only about 16 hours of rehearsal together before taking the stage.
Bennington will have the chance to try out again next year for the opportunity to perform at another iconic venue, the world-renowned Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia. If Bennington makes the cut, that trip will take place in August 2025, and include musicians from around the world, not just the United States.
The sightseeing in New York City included a Hudson River dinner cruise on the "Spirit of New York" ferry, Rockefeller Center and Top of the Rock, and Bennington and Sanders were able to take in the Broadway musical "Hamilton."
Their choices also included "Wicked" and "Hades Town.” Bennington confessed an initial preference for "Hades Town,” but the first 30 seconds of "Hamilton" let the youth feeling “blown away" by the level of professionalism and talent. In the weeks since the experience, Bennington and Sanders have been singing the show’s tunes, they shared.
The performers "made it look easy," Sanders observed. When Bennington spoke with the Quill it was obvious the experience in the Big Apple made an impression that will stay with the young musician for some time.
Bennington has been in band since sixth grade, having played the trombone from the start, and has since also started playing the tuba. Looking to the future, the teen wants to be a professional musician one day, maybe as a recording artist or as part of a jazz band or orchestra.
Plans after high school are to continue education in instrumental music at the University of Missouri in Columbia and become part of the Mizzou marching and concert bands. Jazz is Bennington’s favorite music genre; Ray Charles, the teen’s favorite performer.
For those unfamiliar with how high school band competitions work, students perform with the band as a whole for judges, who give ratings, and some musicians also compete as members of small groups or as soloists. Last year, Bennington earned exemplary ratings, the highest, for performances as a soloist and as a member of a mixed brass quartet and a trombone quartet at the district level. At the state level, Bennington earned the second highest rating, a silver, as a member of the mixed brass quartet and trombone quartet.
This year’s competition season has yet to begin. For those who would like to see the performances, Missouri State University-West Plains will host district competitions March 7 and 8. The soloists and ensemble performers who score high enough to move on to state will perform at a festival April 25 through 27 in Columbia.
To kick off senior year as a member of the Zizzer Class of 2025, Bennington plans to "hit the ground running" this fall in anticipation of entering college.
Bennington and Sanders said they are thankful to supporters in the community for their generosity in donating the funds needed to pay travel expenses, and also grateful for the support of Long, Smith and the R-7 School District as a whole.
