BY TIANEE RICHARDSON
After months of practicing their breaths away and dealing with the yelling from a dedicated band director, juniors Carlton Graves and Nathalie Vela surprised themselves when they qualified for regional band All-State at competition Jan. 17.
"Every day we practiced each part to gradually get better," Graves said. "It took quite a bit of time, but we made our band proud."
It all started when they got the music. When marching band students got the music for their 2014 marching show, "Glass Pieces," everyone knew what needed to happen. "We practiced day and night," Vela said. "All we knew was our show."
After a memorable marching season, concert season was just on the horizon -- a new genre of band, and of competition. For this, all of the members of the band received music for District auditions. District auditions contained four rounds, and each round was designed to be progressively harder. Students who met the standard would proceed to the next level.
Many would be justified in expecting competitors to be a mess of nerves, but after four months of preparation, Vela said, "it was pretty relaxing, because I knew that I was going to do well, because I had prepared so much for it."
Both sophomore Vela and sophomore Carlton advanced to the All-State competition in oboe and
baritone saxophone, respectively.
After months of practicing their breaths away and dealing with the yelling from a dedicated band director, juniors Carlton Graves and Nathalie Vela surprised themselves when they qualified for regional band All-State at competition Jan. 17.
"Every day we practiced each part to gradually get better," Graves said. "It took quite a bit of time, but we made our band proud."
It all started when they got the music. When marching band students got the music for their 2014 marching show, "Glass Pieces," everyone knew what needed to happen. "We practiced day and night," Vela said. "All we knew was our show."
After a memorable marching season, concert season was just on the horizon -- a new genre of band, and of competition. For this, all of the members of the band received music for District auditions. District auditions contained four rounds, and each round was designed to be progressively harder. Students who met the standard would proceed to the next level.
Many would be justified in expecting competitors to be a mess of nerves, but after four months of preparation, Vela said, "it was pretty relaxing, because I knew that I was going to do well, because I had prepared so much for it."
Both sophomore Vela and sophomore Carlton advanced to the All-State competition in oboe and
baritone saxophone, respectively.