All-Region tryouts are hosted by the Searcy Band every early January. Members of the band run the show, monitoring tryout rooms, running things to and from the judges, and cleaning up the place when it is all said and done.

The tryouts are tedious, with several schools and hundreds of students from across Arkansas competing for their spot in two region level bands. It’d be safe to say that tryouts can be considered a little “cut-throat” because of the few lucky members of each band that coin their spots in the region band. The odds are tough each year, and a ton of practice is required to ensure that your spot is saved.


I get nervous every time I practice in front of a judge, band director, or anyone else for that matter, so it’s kind of a breathtaking experience for me to say the least.


The process is fairly complex: band directors from around the region gather that morning, review the daily plans, gather the paperwork, post the tryout music, and listen to each student play the music and judge them according to how well or poor that they play.


Saturday, Jan. 11 was the day of tryouts. It’s so nerve-wracking sitting outside in the hallway waiting for your number to be called. It’s almost like waiting for a death sentence. Walking into the room fills me with crazy anxiety and I forget basically everything I’ve ever learned. However, when I start playing, I remember what I’m doing this for: To make myself a better performer. After your tryouts are over, you wait to see the posted results.


Around thirty people from Searcy made all region this year and a ton of work must be put in this weekend in order to have a successful concert on Sunday! I’m excited to see what music we will play and to meet some great new faces.