Searcy (LP) Now that marching season is over for the band and they have completed their full-band Christmas concert, it’s time for the “big split” as everyone calls it. Every year in December, all of the band students are given a challenging piece of music to audition with, with only a week to practice it. Over the course of three days, all of the students are tested one by one before school, during school, and after school on a 100 point grading scale. Depending on their scores, the band directors Mr. Luzzi, Mr. Hines, and Ms. Friswold decide which band to place everyone in and what their chair order will be.

The wind instrument players are required to know the audition etude and the chromatic scale, and the percussionists are required to know a snare audition etude, a marimba audition etude, several snare rudiments, and several scales. Last week all of the auditions took place and the stakes were really high and the competition was fierce, considering that there are several extremely talented members in every section of the band this year.

The larger of the two bands is directed by Mr. Hines. It used to be called 3A, but now it is called the Symphonic band due to new concert band regulations. All of the Freshmen are required to be in this band because they have less experience with the concert contests. In a recent interview with Mr. Hines, He said, “I am really excited about this year’s Symphonic Band. We have a ton of really strong players, so I got to pick some harder, more interesting music for them to play.” Mr. Luzzi’s more advanced and challenging band used to be called 4A, but now it is called the Wind Ensemble Band.

At contest, each band has to perform three to four pieces with varying difficulty, depending on what band they are in. According to the first chair trumpet player in the Wind Ensemble Band, Lauren Brown, “This year Mr. Luzzi picked some really challenging music but I got a couple of solos, so I am really excited! I know we will do great at our contest, as always.” The main competition that the band participate in during concert season takes place in West Memphis where they compete with bands in their divisions from all over the state. The practicing has just begun, and all of the band members are extremely hopeful for another successful concert band season this year.