Seneca musicians perform at fair

PHOTO BY JILL GOSCHE Members of All-Ohio State Fair Band perform at Ohio State Fair Wednesday afternoon. PHOTO BY JILL GOSCHE All-Ohio State Fair Choir performs at Ohio State Fair Wednesday afternoon. COLUMBUS — Nearly 20 Seneca County musicians are among about 375 teenagers from around Ohio who performed in two youth ensembles at Ohio State Fair. Seneca County residents who participated in All-Ohio State Fair Band are Emily Becks, Michael Daniels, Matthew Long, Megan Dodge, Joseph Brandt, Rebecca Steinmetz, Amber Lee, Dylan Weinandy, Kathleen Rooth, Caralyn Harben, Morgan Cranmore, Bennett Ramsdell and Abraham Sulin. Those who participated in All-Ohio State Fair Youth Choir are Rosalva Barraza, Kimberlyh Boyer, Riley Gibson, Dominique Hall, Bobbie Hall and Eric Evans. About 200 teenagers made up the band, in its 93rd year, and about 175 were in the choir, in its 54th year. The groups perform about 200 times during the 12-day fair, according to information from the fair. Musicians' last day at the fair was Saturday, but they had an opportunity to stay to participate in today's livestock sale. Today is the fair's last day. Ramsdell, a sophomore at Columbian High School, opted to stay for today's sale. "I am staying for the sale of champions," he said. Ramsdell, whose mother, Cynthia, is a member of the choir's staff, played in the state fair band for the first time. He said it seemed like it would be fun. "I have enjoyed it a lot," he said. Dominique Hall, a junior at Seneca East, is in her second year in the choir. She said Wednesday it had been a good experience so far this year. Bobbie Hall, Dominique's sister, graduated from Seneca East this year and spent her fourth year in the choir. "I really like getting the chance to work on really challenging music. … I like getting to become super close with people that I've only spent 18 days with," she said. Mark Soski, who also just graduated from Seneca East and is in his fourth year in the choir, said he enjoys the connections he makes with people. The choir is a community-oriented area to be in, he said. "You have to at least try (the choir experience) to understand it," he said. Addison Traylor, a senior at Seneca East, spent her first year in the choir. She said her friends at Seneca East told her about it, and she is happy she got into the choir. Traylor said her favorite part of the experience probably was meeting new people and making new friends. Gibson, a senior at Seneca East, is in her second year in the choir. She said she enjoys the variety of music the choir sings and the chance one gets to interact with the community, and her favorite part is the friendships one makes while at the fair. Barraza, a Seneca East junior, also is in her second year in the choir. She said that last year, she found a lot of people she now calls her family. "I actually like marching in the parade," she said. Evans is a sophomore at Columbian High School and is in his first year in the choir. He said he thought it would be fun to join the group, and he said Wednesday he had enjoyed it so far. Evans said being able to make friendships and meet everyone had been his favorite.