With a Veterans’ Day performance that moved several people to tears, no one can deny that something great is happening with HCP band this year. However if you need further proof the band had more kids audition and make honor bands than ever before. Band members are encouraged to audition for multiple honor bands throughout the year and with results from four bands already in, HCP band has plenty to be proud of.
The first results to come in were for Oklahoma Small Schools Band Directors Association’s (OSSBDA) Small-School All-State Band. Jake Burga made 1st alternate tenor saxophone and Mitchel Williams made 2nd chair bass clarinet.
The results for Central Oklahoma Directors Association (CODA) honor band were next to come in. CODA is a regional honor band that is considered much harder to get in to because most of the students come from 6A schools whereas HCP is a 4A school. Allegra Knight made 1st chair oboe in the wind ensemble, while Jake Burga and Mitchel Williams both made alternate in the symphonic band for tenor saxophone and bass clarinet respectively. This is the first time that HCP has sent more than one band member to CODA.
Next in were the results for Oklahoma Baptist University’s Honor Band. Guillame Satty took 4th chair tuba and Claire Widmer made her first honor band by taking 11th chair clarinet.
“I’m really, really happy but nervous because the music looks challenging,” Widmer said.
Finally the results for All-City Band showcased ten of HCP Band’s members. The band students that made it were: Jake Burga for 1st chair tenor sax, Daniel Henthorn for baritone sax, Jeremiah Jacobson for 2nd chair alto sax, Allegra Knight for oboe, Guillaume Saaty for 1st chair tuba, Bailey VanSwearingen for 6th chair trombone, Amoree Wagner for 5th chair trombone, Nathan Walters for 3rd chair tuba, Claire Widmer for 8th chair clarinet, and Mitchel Williams for 1st chair bass clarinet.
This is the most kids to make and/or audition for honor bands in HCP band’s history. “It’s really cool. It’s not easy to do and the kids do it all by themselves. It really takes initiative,” band director Kelli Taylor said.
And it truly is special because being in an honor band presents a challenge from auditions all the way through to the end. The process starts with students auditioning along with other students from various schools. The amount of competition for parts changes depending on the honor band and the instrument.
“If you’re playing something like clarinet, you’re competing for like 20 spots but if you play something like tenor sax like me it’s like one or three spots,” Burga said.
But despite the competition many of HCP Band’s members have claimed spots and are looking forward to learning the challenging music and preforming alongside their fellow musicians.
“[I’m looking forward to] getting together with fellow musicians and making good music,” Saaty said.
The Marionette would like to congratulate those that made honor bands this year and wish them luck preforming.
Rebekah Dow • Jan 13, 2014 at 10:05 pm
Yay! Great job band, and great article Callie!