Atchison County Choir and Band Day was held Monday, February 13, 2017, in the Tarkio High School Gym. Students from Tarkio, Fairfax, and Rock Port joined their voices and instruments in song for a performance in front of family and friends, directed by Dr. Nathan Gay, Director of Athletic Bands at Missouri Western State University. The trumpets (Fischer Tharp and others) added some flair to the melodic sounds of the flutes (including the one played by Scarlett Kish), the rhthym of the saxophones (Lexi Somerville and Trey Bowling), and the staccato beat of the drums (Jesse Graves and Mercer Deatz).

It was a melodic night filled with beautiful sounds of young singing voices and instruments Monday, February 13, 2017, in the Tarkio High School Gym. The Tarkio, Fairfax, and Rock Port choirs and bands joined forces for the annual Atchison County Choir and Band Day. This year’s production was under the direction of Dr. Nathan Gay, Director of Athletic Bands at Missouri Western State University.
The choir performed America, Of Thee I Sing! by Mary Donnelly and George Strid and I Love Rock ’n Roll Medley arranged by Greg Gilpin.
Students’ musical accomplishments are designated as follows:
All District Choir *
Four State Choir #
Four State Band $
FFA Band/Choir !
Missouri Western Honor Choir +
Choir members included: sopranos- Melanie Wilson#, CJ Minino, Kelsie Davis, Gretchen Tharp, Karrigan Bowling#, Jae Barnett, Hannah Blank+, Gabby DeRosier+, Emily Vance+, Kaely Kirwan, Anna Klute+, Anna Lester+, Madison Lesher, Prima Mangkasing, Shelby McCartney, and Jayden Viets+; altos- Josie Watkins#+, Darius Skillen, Jessica Hunter, Hannah Brown, Emma Pankau, Rebekah Lucas, Bree Barnett+, Raelynn Gish, Jordan Heard+, Chase Henson, Grace Martin+, Madison Ohrt+, Destiny Sanders, and Marina Sawyer+; and baritones- Chris Sticken#, Ethan Brumbaugh, Daniel Hart, Ben Lucas, Aaron Haltman, Denzil Gutierrez, Ayden Fritzler, Armando Mendoza, Noah Brooks, Jimi Elder, Colin Joesting!+, Ricky Weidenaar, and Troy Wennihan!+.
The band played The Polar Express by Glen Ballard/Alan Silvestri and arranged by Johnnie Vinson, The Lord of the Rings: the Two Towers by Howard Shore and arranged by Douglas E. Wagner, Cheerleader by Bradford, Dillon, Dunbar, Pasley, Dillon and arranged by Roszell, and Exaltation by James Swearingen.
The band members included: piccolo- Melanie Wilson; flutes- Sophie Parrish, Emma Pankau, Scarlett Kish, Dixie Hendrix, Marina Sawyer, Kilea Cooper, Alyssa Beck, and McKenzie Frohn; clarinets- Mystie Robinson$, Gretchen Tharp$, Ayden Wilroy, Shelby McCartney, Haley Hall, Leslie Bradley!, Jaelynn Hill, Morgan O’Riley, and Karrigan Bowling; bass clarinets- Chase Henson and Beth Davis; alto saxophones- Rebekah Lucas, Grace Martin, Shaylee Sparks, Jae Barnett, Tacy Mitchell, Shanna Gilpin, Wyatt Burke, and Jaycee Graves; tenor saxophones- Anna Klute and Katy Baker; bari saxophone- Lexi Somerville; trumpets- Jared Thomas, Fischer Tharp, Cody Davis, Bree Barnett, Madison Ohrt, Zach Sapp, Carlie Farber, Corben Bothwell, Dakota Allen, and Caitlyn O’Riley; baritones- Dillon Bothwell, Tyler Brown, and Trey Bowling; trombones- Dalton Brake, Darius Skillen$, Summer Greenwalt, Ashleigh King, and Jordyn Hogue; tubas- Ben Lucas, Troy Wennihan, and Max Hopkins$; and percussion- Mercer Deatz, Brett Gayler, Kaycee Davis, Ally Demott, Daniel Hart, Colin Joesting, Jimi Elder, Briacin Bywater, Michael Baker, Mickayla Bowling, Conner Marshall#, Shelbey Morris, and Jesse Graves.