Berkeley County School District’s presence was very much felt at this year’s SCMEA Conference.
The South Carolina Music Educators Association – usually just shortened to SCMEA – has an annual professional development conference in Columbia. The 2025 event was held the weekend of Feb. 6.
While the conference helps provide its members with a variety of professional development opportunities – such as sessions, discussions and networking with fellow music educators – another aspect of the conference centers on featured student performances from several schools around the state.
Back in 2017, the South Carolina Band Directors Association – or SCBDA – approved a proposal to start the SCBDA Honors Jazz Combo, which performs as part of the Master Recital Concert at the SCMEA Conference.
Being accepted into either the Master Recital or the Honors Jazz Combo involves a statewide audition for students, so these are highly-coveted spots. College professors usually adjudicate the selection. The Master Recital also awards scholarships to participating students who place in the top three at the recital.
A total of 18 students from across the state were selected to participate in the Master Recital – eight of them being BCSD students. Four of the eight total students selected for the Honors Jazz Combo were BCSD students.
Of the total selection, two BCSD students got to do both the Master Recital and Honors Jazz Combo: Taylor McCray from Cane Bay High, and Goose Creek High’s Harrison Chandler, who placed third and earned a scholarship from SCBDA.
In addition to the band students mentioned below, BCSD had two choral programs who applied for and were accepted to perform at SCMEA – Philip Simmons High’s Magnificent Mares Treble Choir and Cane Bay High’s Cobra Chorale.
Congratulations to all of the BCSD students who were featured at SCMEA this year!
SCBDA Honors Jazz Combo
Harrison Chandler – alto sax, Goose Creek High School
Taylor McCray – vibes, Cane Bay High School
Freddy Pleis – drum set, Stratford High School
Colin McCombs – bass, Stratford High School
SCBDA Master Recital
Harrison Chandler – Goose Creek High School (Third place)
Victoria Holmes – Goose Creek High School (Finalist)
Jaiden Collazo – Goose Creek High School (Finalist)
Taylor McCray – Cane Bay High School (Finalist)
Santiago Balagtas – Stratford High School (Finalist)
Jack Hymas – Stratford High School (Finalist)
Josh Gayle – Stratford High School (Finalist)
Josh Withers – Stratford High School (Finalist)