Students at Hamburg can participate in one of three music groups: Band, Choir, and Orchestra. For students to stay in these music groups, they have to maintain a passing grade in all classes. Students in music ensembles are pushed to pass classes every week, since failing two classes can get a student out of their ensemble until their grade is up. Students that are involved in music-related classes, however, have to maintain a higher grade to stay in their music ensemble as well.
Along with the concert ensembles, students have to maintain passing grades to participate in extracurricular music ensembles, like Show Choir, Treble Choir, Marching Band, Jazz Band, Percussion Ensemble, Caroling Band, Flute Choir, Chamber Strings, and any involvement in the Musical.
Students who have passion for music and take initiative are able to join the music honor society, Tri-M. Tri-M stands for Modern Music Masters and shows that students who join are masters in their musical impacts on society in the modern day. These students tend to participate in fundraisers both before and after they officially join this society.
To officially join the Tri-M Music Honor Society, students go to the Induction their starting year to get their certificate and pin. If students are in for years following their first, their names get briefly mentioned at the induction to set in stone their renewal of their membership. Students in Tri-M originally got in through an application, as it was easier to approve those who wanted to be in the honor society than nominate a few out of every ensemble.
This year, the induction–which was on Wednesday, January 14–was also a recital, which meant that students could willingly perform a piece of music at their highest capabilities to share with their families, friends, and peers. Students who focus on choral music, like Landon Poulios, sang a song that tested his vocal chord abilities. Students who focus on instrumental music, like orchestra or choir, were able to perform a piece using their instrument. There was a Flute and Cello duet from Phalene Hoppes and Laylah Wessner, along with a piece played by Mackenzie’ Hoosier on her Bass. New inductees were required to come in order to join the Honor Society, but the members who have already been inducted were told to come support, but were not mandated to show up. Officers were also required to show, especially since all officers had a reading during the ceremony; which they had to come an hour early to practice.
The new inductees were Oakley Bogardus, Lillian Borkey, Emalee Burkholder, Sophia Garretson, Samantha Gartner, Mia Goetz, Phalene Hoppes, Karly MacBride, Riley Mohn, Leandra Musser, Oliver Pursley, Jacob Schroeder, and Laylah Wessner. During the ceremony, each officer introduced themselves: Mackenzie Hoover as the President, Marlena Narducci as the Vice President, Elaina Hess as the Secretary, Bricen Foreman as the Treasurer, and Celeste Mummolo as the Historian. The other current members are Ava Bailey, Michael Clancey, Greta Fink, Zach Gougler, Ellie Grim, Evie Kern, Aidan Litschi, Donavan Merrick, and Landon Poulios. Parents, family members, and friends were all invited in support of all inductees, new and old.
