Choir and Honor Band work their way to top

Choir and Honor Band work their way to top

By Itzel Reyes and Yocelyn Perez Posted March 10, 2023

This year, choir students had a fantastic opportunity, and made their way to the National Music Educators Association all-state choir. They went all the way to Las Vegas for this memorable trip, but they couldn’t have gone if they hadn’t worked as hard as they had.

“This group wanted to come in on Martin Luther King day, their day off, and we had a big long rehearsal that day,” said music teacher Mr. David Munk. “They are a very dedicated group of kids.”

All that extra work and practice the students had put in, helped them be on top of the game, and be able to do their best work while at the event with tons of other musicians.

“Just knowing the music before you go, is really beneficial,” said Tanner Hatch. “It puts you ahead of 90% of all the other people there.”

With all that work, comes lots of experience, and soon after comes the experience and memories with it. It was or is many of these students’ first time at the NMEA all-state, and it left many of them wondering how it would go, and even how the other musicians there would work with so many new faces.

“I expected people to be cocky, and they were actually all really supportive,” said Hannah Simpson. “It was like we are all a big family.”

The fantastic success that came from the NMEA all-state event gave our choir students a wonderful experience for them to take with them through the rest of their youth careers as choir students and musicians.

While the choir was at the NMEA all-state, the honor band was preparing, and about to leave for their big trip to Elko to perform at a performing arts center. It couldn’t have been as simple as just going, students had to work hard to simply get into the class, which soon led up to their amazing opportunity and experience of performing in Elko.

Honor Band is a unique musical selection from several different school districts. In the honor band, students must be suggested or nominated to be included. Although nomination is required to get into the honor band, getting chair placement is done through audition. Martin Doctor was one of the few nominated to join the honor band.

“It’s kind of like a magical experience being able to play in that big of a band and everyone coming together,” said Dockter. “There’s just so many things that are so great about it.”

Overall, this is a two-day event in which a guest conductor is brought in to rehearse the students and on the second evening a concert is put on. This year’s guest was from Snow College Utah, Dr. David Fulmer. During this time, the selected students traveled to a performing arts center which took place in Elko this year.

Victoria Salgado is another student who was able to be a part of the honor band.

“I like being able to meet new people in the different regions, I find it really cool,” said Salgado.