Colton Corner: Combining talents in a musical setting
Published 9:00 am Saturday, April 4, 2026
On Feb. 21, six band students from Colton Middle School received a letter from Colton School District music and band teacher Bobbie Rice.
The letter read: “Congratulations! You have been selected to play in the Middle School Honor Band on Monday, March 16, at Molalla High School. This event will be attended by some of the best middle school band students in our area. I look forward to a great day of making music together.”
The six Colton Middle School students were eighth graders: Heidi Davidson (trombone) and Kade Rissberger (trumpet) and seventh graders Sunny Hayzlett (flute), Emberlie Miller, Tugg Thompson (euphonium), and Grace Wagner (percussion).
Selected honor band students from multiple regional middle schools gathered at Molalla High School on the morning of March 16, where they spent the day being introduced to new music and rehearsing together in preparation for that evening’s concert.
The honor band members were divided into two musical groups. The Allegro Band, which included Davidson, Miller, Thompson, and Wagner, performed four numbers: “Stargazer Fanfare” by Randall D. Standridge, “Ember Skies” by Kevin Day, “Dark Star” by Christina Huss, and “Cumbia” by Jorge Vargas.
The Presto Band, with Colton Middle School members Hayzlett and Rissberger, performed “Dance of the Shadows” by Adrian B. Simms, “Last Ride of the Pony Express” by David Shaffer, and “Loch Lomond” by JaRod Hall.
“Practicing all day with the band made the concert at the end of the day really exciting. It was so fun performing together,” Hayzlett said.
Her mother, Sarah, noted that you could tell the kids were proud of the hard work they put in.
“So dang proud of these kids for stepping up and putting it all together like that,” Thompson’s mom, Bobbie, said. “And a huge shoutout to Mr. Rice for being the kind of teacher who pushes and inspires them to this level. Absolute legend.”
Tugg Thompson explained the importance of band and especially what Mr. Rice brings to the school music program, saying “Being a part of Mr. Rice’s middle school band means a lot to me. I love the opportunity to learn something every day, whether it’s about instruments or what Mr. Rice had for lunch. I enjoy Mr. Rice’s class because of the humor and seriousness he brings. He often uses metaphors about pizza or other foods, but he always makes it correlate to band and with making us be the best we can be. He pushes us to our limits and beyond, which is incredible. He hates it when we play with less skill than we have. All in all, he is a great teacher, and I wouldn’t want anyone different.”
Rice said the middle school band is working hard on their music for the Spring Concert, a performance at the elementary school, and the band festival at Canby High School on April 28.