Sweat drips through the hallways of Arlington High School. Students rapidly flip through their music awaiting their time slot’s arrival. Various instrument sounds stream through the air as All West creeps slowly upon White Station’s band students. After five months of preparation, band students auditioned for All West on Jan. 13.
“[Preparation] was very time-consuming, difficult and stressful,” Ellie Carr (10). “You practice every day; you practice the same music over and over. You have to know all your scales [and] how to sight read well.”
All West Band consists of two divisions—Blue and Red. Placements are based on a composite score of their pre-assigned excerpt piece and a sight reading piece that they have 15 seconds to learn. Based on these combined scores whoever has the highest scores makes it into the Blue Band. Once all the spots for that specific instrument in the Blue band are filled, then the next ranking players make the Red Band. If there are not enough spots left after that, the remaining performers are either alternates or do not make it into All West Band.
“Because everyone is judged on their ultimate scores from the audition, the ones with the highest scores that fit in the number of spots go to the top band which is blue,” Hayley Matthews (11) said. “I made it into the Blue Band and was very excited to make it because I thought my hard work had paid off.”
Since September, students have been practicing their music for their All West auditions. For newcomer Mia Kitterlin (11), this was her first All West audition. All West 11-12 band is considered one of the most challenging to get into as most people auditioning have been playing since middle or elementary school. However, Kitterlin started playing bass clarinet last February and worked one-on-one with her band teacher to make 3rd chair Red Band.
“I went to the All West concert last year [and] I have a lot of friends who are in band, so I just wanted to be a part of it,” Kitterlin said. “I heard that 11-12 [band] is more competitive [and] I was not sure I was going to make it at all. I made the Red Band, and I was very shocked because I did not think I was going to make it [since] I’m so new. Overall I was really happy and proud of myself for the work I put in.”
For White Station’s Band, 32 students made All West, five students made All State and 10 students were alternates. Students who made All West will spend Feb. 8-10 at the Renasant Convention Center practicing with students from all over West Tennessee. They will then perform for their friends and families on the 10th.
“I’ve been playing the clarinet since sixth grade and have been a part of the high school band for three years now,” Matthews said. “I think band has helped me grow as a person and given me something that I genuinely like doing.”