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Panther Review at school, honors for Hancock Band

Students at Hancock Middle-Senior High School have been acknowledged for their musical abilities in band and also preparing for their annual Panther Review talent show.

The Panther Review takes place tomorrow night, Thursday, April 7, at 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium.

“The students have been waiting patiently through the pandemic to be able to perform on the stage again all the while honing their talents,” said Hancock Band Director and show organizer Susan Mott. “They have been rehearsing and the excitement is building for a great performance!”

Mott said although many students would be showcasing their talents on stage, many are putting their talents to good use behind the scenes doing lights, sound, stage crew, and concession sales.

Some notable acts include singing, clogging, dancing a marimba solo, poetry, a rock drum solo and a presidential comedy act.

The Young Yukes ukulele band from Black Cat Music Co-op in Berkeley Springs will also perform and the Hancock Girl Scout troop will present their black-out dance.

There will be a drawing for a $50 Jimmy Joy’s Log Cabin Inn gift card.

Admission is $5 for adults, $2 for students, and free for children ages three and under. All proceeds will benefit the middle and high school bands.

Band members stand out

Mott also said Hancock Panther Band students are making a name for themselves in Washington County as seven students were named to the All County Band.

Emalee Chewning, Mya Heckert, Brooklyn McCusker, Chloe Wilson, Tyler Hartman, and Eamon Faith were named to the all county middle school band while eleventh grader Jennifer Barnhart was named to the senior high all county band. Barnhart also placed second in the all county percussion section.

Barnhart attended the Shepherd University Honor Band, received a superior rating on her marimba solo at the Washington County Public Schools Solo and Ensemble Festival, and was selected to play in the WCPS Honors recital held at the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts in Hagerstown’s City Park.

Mott said Barnhart was also selected as the Maryland Symphony Orchestra’s Outstanding Musician of the Month for March.

Eighth grader Heckert also received a superior rating at the WCPS Solo and Ensemble Festival for her clarinet performance.

In addition to the band members’ solo performances, the Panther Concert Bands have also been making great strides and showing success as a large ensemble, Mott said.

At 20 to 25 players strong, the group recently played for the WCPS Large Ensemble Festival where they received excellent ratings on their stage performance and a superior rating in the sight-reading room where they were expected to play a piece for a judge at sight, having never seen the music before.

The middle school band followed suit and also received a superior rating in the sight-reading room and excellent and superior ratings on stage.

Six students, Emalee Chewning, Mya Heckert, Brooklyn McCusker, Chloe Wilson, Tyler Hartman, and Eamon Faith, from the Hancock Panthers middle school band were named to the all county middle school band recently. Photo courtesy Susan Mott.

Jennifer Barnhart was recently named to the senior high all county band, attended the Shepherd University Honor Band, received a superior rating on her marimba solo at the Washington County Public Schools Solo and Ensemble Festival, and was selected to play in the WCPS Honors recital held at the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts in Hagerstown’s City Park. Photo courtesy of Susan Mott.

Mya Hekckert and Jennifer Barnhart were received superior ratings at the WCPS Solo and Ensemble Festival. Photo courtesy Susan Mott.

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