ORIGINALLY WRITTEN CYNTHIA MARTENS
One trumpet virtuoso in the Goessel High School band program likes to ride a motorcycle, go fishing and make homemade inventions with his friends.
Kelcy Voth, a senior at GHS, has a ready smile and easy-going conversational manner that belies his 4.0 average and his instrumental talent in the band room.
“I think Kelcy’s outstanding because he’s not satisfied to do things haphazardly or mediocre,” said Bud Meisel, GHS band director.
“Every time he does something, he tries to do it the best he possibly can. He’s a very conscientious student-very teachable, very polite.”
Voth picked up the trumpet in the fifth grade when band was offered at the elementary-school level.
“I like hearing trumpets,” Voth said. “I like the trumpet, and my dad played it in high school.”
The Goessel band numbers about 50 players-half the student body.
As a core member of the band, Voth said he’s seen the group consistently perform well at competitions.
“We almost always get ‘I’s,” he said.
Meisel described Voth as a leader in his section.
“He’s very responsible. When he says he’ll do something, he’ll do it.”
For three years, Voth has taken private lessons from Jerry Toews, a former band director in the
Goessel system.
“I feel like he’s helped me a lot,” Voth said. “This year, I got first (chair) at regionals and first (chair) at state. He’s helped to make me better with my technique and tone.”
Voth plays trumpet in the pep band, concert band and jazz band.
Among the 10 trumpet players in the GHS band program, Voth admitted-with a shy smile -that he is the strongest member.
“I know the notes, and I can usually get the rhythm pretty well,” he said. “But I’m not always too fast on the runs-I’m not exactly even.”
His personal trumpet-a brand manufactured by Schilke Music Products Inc.- is unique compared to others in band, Voth said.
“Not very many people have this kind. I bought it from a college professor my uncle works with in Missouri. I like mine.”
Voth took a trumpet solo to the Regional Solos and Ensembles in Concordia the end of March and received a “I.”
“It was a fairly difficult piece,” Voth said of the second and third movements of the Haydn Concerto.
He was also a member of the trumpet quartet and brass choir at the competition and earned “I”s for each of those performances.
“I was very happy with how we did,” Voth said.
College plans are not firm yet. He is considering attending Bethel College in North Newton, where he may major in business.
And at this point, he said he plans to play the trumpet in college but has no plans for his musical talent beyond that.
And after giving so much to the band program, what does Voth get from it in return?
“It’s probably made me more responsible and a better leader,” he said.
