Three local high school bands have advanced to the OSSAA state concert band competition, with two making it for the very first time. This is the debut for Stroud and North Rock Creek high schools, while Chandler is making a return.
The bands competed last week in districts, where they received superior ratings in order to move on to the next level. Each band performed two songs - one from a list provided by the OSSAA and the other at the director’s discretion and then sight-read.
North Rock Creek band director and middle school principal Ron Potter said he was thrilled and that the kids played really well. This is only their fourth time playing at districts, and he said the band was encouraged as there are some things he knows they can immediately improve before they go to state.
However, he also admitted that they were slightly apprehensive.
“We’re thrilled we’ll be able to go pass on, but at the same time, I think when we got back last week, we figured we had a maximum of 10 rehearsals between the day we went and state contest,” he said. Within those rehearsals, the students are out nine days for spring break. “So, that is a little bit of cause for nervousness, having to kind of knock the rust off of nine days of not playing together and then trying to get it all back in shape plus some in that last three days.”
Regardless, Potter said they are excited about the opportunity and the kids are working very hard.
Stroud band director Kevin Couch is just as excited about his band’s debut state competition.
“I’m super excited for them and super proud of them because they put in a lot of hard work and extra time. Their work and energy has really paid off,” he said. “A lot of people think that it’s just notes and rhythm, but there’s so much more to it than that.”
Couch said his students are enthusiastic about going to the competition, even though it will be challenging.
“They feel pretty strongly about the fact that they’re breaking new ground, and they’re setting the standard for the groups that are going to follow them,” he said.
While this isn’t Chandler’s first time at state, band director Rachel Karger said she was impressed with the band’s performance at districts.
“We are so excited to be heading back to state again,” she said. “We still have some things to iron out in the music to get it in tip-top shape. However, we got great feedback from the judges… and we will push forward to make the best sounds we can.”
She added that as the band rehearsed over the last few weeks, she knew they were very close to a great performance, which is exactly what they had at the competition.
“The last few days of hyper-focus made all the difference,” Karger said.
Although they won’t be heading to state, Prague and Meeker did well at districts, earning Excellent ratings.
“I’m really proud of them… This semester has been a little harder than others,” said Prague band director Cari Moll. “But in this last week, they really came together and did the work that needed to be done.”
She said the band performed really well at the competition, but the judges had really high standards, which happens some years. Since they won’t be preparing for state, Moll said the band now has a lot of time to work on playing goodquality music for their spring concert on May 7.
Meeker band director Tony Thoma said the band definitely had its best performance at districts, and it’s been incredible to see how far the group has come in such a short amount of time. While most successful band programs have many upperclassmen, over half of the Meeker band is comprised of eighth graders and freshmen.
“To say I’m proud of their accomplishments would be an understatement,” he said.
The band certainly has a full plate for the rest of the semester. A few soloists and ensembles did qualify for state and will compete in April, while the whole band is working on their spring concert and fundraisers.