Searcy (LP) Saturday the 21st, hundreds of high school band students from across Arkansas competed in All-Region. Searcy hosts this event to raise money for equipment and marching season. Only the students with the best scores are named to one of the two bands. They then have the opportunity to participate in the All-Region clinic, practicing two days with a concert at the end. From there, the top players in each instrument are allowed to audition for the All-State band.
All-Region is composed of three different categories: prepared, scales, and sight reading. Months prior, students are given packets of music to learn, and on the day of tryouts, the selected pieces for audition are posted. Three scales are also picked for each instrument. In addition, students are also given a specially written piece of music to sight read. This means that they have never seen the piece before and have no preparation. They are given twenty seconds to silently study it, and then they are asked to play.
Elizabeth Corbin, a senior and the first chair baritone in the Searcy High School Wind Ensemble, has spent lots of time practicing. In the past, Elizabeth has made alternate and second band, and hopes to make it again this year. She said, “The tryouts are the worst part. Making is the best. I enjoy getting out of school to play music all day.” As a senior she has the best odds because of her seven years of experience. She said, “Each year the music is still challenging, but it seems easier. The more I learn the better I understand it.” To prepare, Elizabeth has drilled her music over and over, as well as listening to a CD to learn the correct rhythms. She has also practiced and memorized scales.
On this Saturday, the Searcy students’ hard work paid off. There were nineteen students named to the All-Region bands and seven students named as alternates. Among these students, six made first band. Saturday, January twenty first, the students who were named to each band, will participate in the All-Region clinic and concert at Harding University. There were also six students who qualified to tryout for All-State. These students are Margaret Lim (oboe), Victoria Brown (bass clarinet), Niko Chaney (alto sax), Tori Rettig (alto sax), Lauren Brown (trumpet), and Tyler Roberson (trombone). Victoria Brown is a second time All-State qualifier, and she is very excited. She didn’t make the All State band last year, so she is going all at it this year. She said, “It’s going to be a lot harder because it’s the top people from each region coming together. The music is harder this year, but I am excited. I feel like it’s going to be a fun challenge.” The All-State qualifiers will travel to Arkansas Tech University on February third to audition.
