Two Chosen for All-State Band
By Shayna Haase
Freshman flute player Mya Johnson and junior percussionist Travis Emory will be representing Pierce in the All-State band at the 2022 NMEA (Nebraska Music Education Association) Conference/Clinic on November 16-18 at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln campus. A final public concert of the 161 student band will be at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, November 18, at the Lied Center for the Performing Arts on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus to wrap up the conference/clinic.
Johnson says, “I am very thankful to Mr. Sindt for practicing with me. It feels amazing to have made it as a freshman, and I hope to try out again in the future. I’ve been practicing for months on the audition music, and I’m so glad that all of that time was worth it!”
Guest conductor for the group will be Dr. Cynthia Johnston Turner, Dean—Faculty of Music at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario.
Emory says,”I am very excited this is my second year of making the band but I wasn’t able to go my freshman year due to COVID. I am very excited to actually go to Lincoln and perform with some of the best high school percussionists in the state.”
Every year approximately 3000 of the best high school musicians in the state audition for the Nebraska All-State band, chorus, jazz band, and orchestra, which are all sponsored by the Nebraska Music Education Association. The selection of a member of one of the groups is one of the highest music honors attainable in Nebraska.
Pierce’s band director, Mr. Mike Sindt says, I am very proud of these two students and this is a very high honor for them to represent our band and school at this event.”
