Auditions for placement in the Missouri All-State Concert Band and Jazz Band took place this past Saturday, December 1 at Columbia-Hickman High School in Columbia, Missouri. The high school band students have been practicing the music required for these auditions for approximately 6 months. In Missouri, Band students have a pre-requisite of auditioning and being accepted into their district’s All-Suburban Honor Concert or Jazz Band before they can even be eligible to audition for the Missouri All-State Band.

Upon arriving in Columbia for the All-State Band audition, students are given a number. They are referred to by the number – not by name/school/grade, etc. because the audition process is ‘blind’. The judges for the audition are not allowed to see (or talk to) the student auditioning, ensuring complete fairness in their assessment of the student. Students sign their number up outside of the room they are to perform their audition in, which then gives them the order they will perform. Each audition lasts between 5-7 minutes, depending on the judge, instrument, etc. There were so many students auditioning that some of our students waited up to 5 hours just to perform their preliminary audition (most instruments have 2 rounds of auditions). If students are fortunate enough to score high enough and make it through the preliminary round, they are ‘called back’, and sign their number up again outside the room for their 2nd and final audition.

KHS Band results:
14 KHS band students auditioned.
9 students scored high enough to be called back for a second audition
8 of those students were named to the All-State Band or recognized as alternates to the All-State Band or named as a member of the Missouri All-State Honorable Mention Band.

Congratulations to…
Maddie Bert (11th grade) flute, 3rd chair All-State Band.
Anne Fried (12th grade) clarinet, 6th chair Honorable Mention All-State Band.
Kyle Rieger (11th grade) contra-bass clarinet, 2nd alternate for the All-State Band.
Soley Hyman (10th grade) trumpet, 7th chair All-State Band.
Valery Wehrman (12th grade) french horn, 3rd chair Honorable Mention All-State Band.
Michael McBride (11th grade) trombone, 3rd chair All-State Band and Jazz Trombone Honorable Mention All-State Jazz Band.
Jordan Grommet (11th grade) trombone, 6th chair All-State Band.
Carter Stephens (11th grade) euphonium, 3rd chair All-State Band and 5th chair Honorable Mention All-State Band on trombone.

**Information provided by Jason Rekittke, band instructor