• Junior high "Superior"
• Fifth-sixth grade "Excellent"
  Photos at bottom of story

The Bluffton Junior High string orchestra earned a ‘Superior’ rating and the Bluffton fith-sixth grade string orchestra earned an ‘Excellent’ rating at Ohio Music Education Associate large group adjudicated event held at Parkway HS last week.

The junior high orchestra performed in class “A” with “An English Folksong” arranged by Terry McQuilkin, “Lullaby to the Moon” by Brian Balmages and “The Lumber Camp Song” arranged by Carrie Lane Gruselle.

The fifth-sixth orchestra performed in class ‘C’ with “Hey Ho, the Wind” by Deborah Baker Monday, “Yorktown” by Todd Parrish and “Ancient Hunters’ by Sean O’Loughlin. 

The orchestras are under the direction of Rachael E. Lewis. Photo credit: Shannon Weissling.

Three Ohio music educators served as adjudicators offering recorded and written comments. After the music group performed, one of the judges came on stage and gave verbal critique/comments of the music with suggestions on how to improve the quality of music. 

Junior high orchestra:

Row 1: Gage Van Atta, Aliana Salazar, Cole Burkholder Alyssa Speicher, Amy Jebsen, Jessica Boop. Calvin Frideger, Ella Armstrong, Lauren Speicher

Row 2: Izzy Stechschulte, Adanna Johnstone, Kaelin Weissling, Ryan Lutz, Theo Andreas,  Kia Leon, Adi Gearing, Mrs. Lewis

Row 3: Ben Hartzler, Landon Armstrong, Cole Bowers, Avery Kinn, Makenzie Badertscher, Jonah Rehm (absent Milo Combs)

Fifth-sixth grade orchestra members include: 

Row 1: Maia Gearing, Makenzie Gearing, Emma Miller, Xavier Diller, Jordan Schweingruber, Kaylee Dauterman, 

Row 2: Ellie Hartzler, Ethan Hoffman, Landon Sehlhorst, Danielle Cross, Samantha Rader Feller, Raelyn Clinger, Jordyn O’Connell, Jaicelyn Morris, Lauren Bowers, 

Row 3: Savana Missler,  Lexi Wheeler, Sophia Kauffman, Makay Tuttle, Hailey Ballinger, Sarah Knauss, Zoe Shank, Mrs. Lewis, Rory Youngpeter