MAY 4, 2018, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A3
KeizerCommunity
McNary musicians place at state
KEIZERTIMES.COM
By DEREK WILEY
Of the Keizertimes
When Kacey Whitfi eld
went to an instrument fi t-
ting at the end of the fourth
grade, she knew exactly which
mouth piece she wanted.
Her older brother and sis-
ter, both musicians, had al-
ready made that decision for
her.
“My sister was a trumpet
player and my brother was a
trombone and they kind of
brainwashed me from age 3 to
play the French horn so that
we could have a brass trio,”
Whitfi eld said. “People usually
start out on a different instru-
ment and switch to French
horn. I didn’t want to try on
any other instruments. I just
wanted to try the French horn
mouth piece.”
Whitfi eld knew right away
that she had made the right
decision and by the time she
was in the sixth grade was
playing with eighth graders in
the top band.
Now a sophomore at Mc-
Nary, Whitfi eld placed second
in the OSAA State Solo Com-
petition at Pacifi c University
in Forest Grove on Saturday,
April 28.
Southridge senior Layan
Atieh won the event. Two of
the three judges had White-
fi eld and Atieh separated by
just one point.
“It’s something I’ve imag-
ined but I never really ex-
pected it to happen,” Whit-
fi eld said. “Part of me is glad I
didn’t take fi rst because there
would be so much pressure to
win the next two years. Now I
still feel like I have areas I can
improve on and hopefully be
state champion by my senior
year.”
Each musician played for a
maximum 10 minutes in front
of the judges. Whitfi eld, play-
ing Concerto for Horn and Strings
by Gordon Jacob, was the sec-
ond to last French horn player,
just before Atieh.
“I made the decision not
to listen to anybody before
me just because I didn’t want
to get psyched out,” Whitfi eld
said. “After I played I felt really
good about my performance. I
got to hear her (Atieh) perfor-
mance and right away knew
that she was amazing and was
probably going to win.”
Along with the band, Whit-
fi eld joined the McNary choir
this year.
“I’ve always love singing,”
Submitted
Danny Okada, left, and Jeremiah Voight, with director Jennifer
Bell, placed fourth in small brass ensemble.
Submitted
ABOVE: Chandler Foster, Kayla Jones, Katana Hamilton, Nicho-
las Weathers, Rilei Smith, Julia Melting and Ana Diaz fi nished
third in large woodwind ensemble. BELOW: Danny Okada, Jer-
emiah Voight, Kacey Whitfi eld, Andy Okada and Jesus Marti-
nez placed third in large brass ensemble.
Submitted
McNary sophomore Kacey Whitfi eld placed second at the OSAA State Solo Competition in the
French horn at Pacifi c University on Saturday, April 28.
she said. “I’ve never been as
good at it as I have at French
horn. It’s still a lot of fun and I
am improving.”
Whitfi eld was also voted
Miss Marion-Polk County
Outstanding Teen in 2017 and
is competing for Miss Three
Rivers Outstanding Teen on
Saturday, May 5 in Oregon
City. For her talent, she’ll play
Colors of the Wind on the French
horn. Her platform is music
education in schools.
Along with placing sec-
ond in the French horn,
Whitefi eld also played in the
state ensemble competition
on Friday, fi nishing third in
large brass ensemble with
Danny Okada (trumpet), Jer-
emiah Voight (trumpet), Andy
Okada (trombone) and Jesus
Martinez (tuba); and fourth
in large woodwind ensemble
with Cole Branson (bassoon),
Tabitha Sol (oboe), Nicholas
Weathers (clarinet) and Rose
LeLack (fl ute).
McNary’s clarinet en-
semble of Weathers, Chandler
Foster, Kayla Jones, Katana
Hamilton, Rilei Smith, Julia
Melting and Ana Diaz also
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took third in the state.
Voight and Danny Okada
placed fourth in small brass
ensemble. Voight also took
home a solo medal, fi nishing
sixth in the trumpet.
McNary’s band is directed
by Jennifer Bell.