Quakertown Band Tuba makes State!

Congratulations to tuba player, Caleb Szabo!

Caleb Szabo is one of the band'€™s newer members. He is only in 10th grade, and is one of the youngest members in the band. But he'€™s a very fine tuba player, for his age and otherwise. When he was a student in Strayer Middle School, he was chosen to participate in the Middle School Honors Band (an auditioned group from middle schools in four local school districts) all three years he was there. He was very active in the school music program, playing in the concert band, jazz band and the wind ensemble. In 8th grade, he was awarded the school'€™s coveted Outstanding Musician award, and started playing tuba with us in the Community Band.

Then in 9th grade, he joined the Quakertown High School marching band, the concert band and the jazz band. He was awarded the Outstanding Musicianship award again at the Freshman Center. This year, he was eligible as a 10th grader to audition for PMEA District 11 Honors Band, a select auditioned group from all the public and private high schools in Bucks and Montgomery counties. Caleb beat out many upper classman tuba players from 32 high schools and earned 2nd chair tuba for district band. From there, he re-auditioned and was selected to perform with the Region 6 Honors Band (The very best players from all the high schools in Bucks, Montgomery, Chester, Philadelphia and Delaware counties).

We are proud to announce that after re-auditioning at Regional Band, Caleb was one of the few sophomores selected to perform with the PA All State Honors Band. This prestigious ensemble represents the finest high school musicians in the entire state, and they perform at the annual Pennsylvania Music Educators'€™ Association state-wide conference at the end of March. Caleb is excited for the opportunity, and is also entertaining the idea of auditioning for the National Honors Band as well.

If he'€™s accomplishing this kind of stuff in 10th grade, we can only imagine where he'€™ll be by the time he'€™s 25. He does want to study music in college, but not sure if he wants to be a music performer, teacher, composer, conductor (or some other music based career). With his early roots here, maybe someday he will join the Quakertown Band'€™s historic wall of music directors.

So'€¦ Congratulations Caleb!! We'€™re proud of you!!