Class B All-State Band
By Skylar Scholting
On March 23, the Pierce High School band took some of its best performers to the Class B All-State band, which was held in Grand Island.
Members of the Pierce High band selected include seniors Kenna Sedlacek, Travis Emory, Braxtynne Emerson, Ashley Wacker and Tate Reinke; juniors Aubrey Hanson, Kaylee Steffen, Amelia Ahlers and Zoey Ebmeier; sophomores Christian Nordby, Trayton Christiansen, Mya Johnson, Lillian Blank and Jared Northcutt; freshmen Payton Ebmeier, Maya Johnson, Spencer Sindt, Jayna Prochaska, Makayla Shefl, Keaton Vavra and Addison Frye.
In order to be selected to the All-State band, members must send in a recording of the audition music. Once the panel of judges selects students, they are placed into either the wind ensemble, symphonic band, or jazz band.
Pierce members that were selected to the jazz band were Hanson, Steffen, Sedlacek, P. Ebmeier, Ma. Johnson, Sindt, Reinke, Nordby, and Emory. Dr. Pete Madsen directed the jazz band and they performed the songs “The Average Bear,” “Downtown Tango,” “Bone Talk,” and “Tank.”
Those selected for the wind ensemble were Ahlers, Prochaska, Christiansen, Emerson, Wacker, Shefl, and My. Johnson. The wind ensemble was directed by Mrs. Stacy Bean and performed the songs “Slavation is Created,” “The Light Eternal,” “Choose Joy,” and “The City of Lights.”
Lastly, those who were selected for the symphonic band were Z. Ebmeier, Northcutt, Vavra, and Frye. The symphonic band was directed by Mr. Alex Woodside and they played the songs titled “Under the Prairie Sky,” “Snow in a Silent Wood,” “Marche Diabolique,” and “How to Train Your Dragon.”
The day started at 9 a.m. and each band rehearsed their songs all day before performing in the concert at 5 p.m.
Hanson states, “My favorite part of the day was the concert because I loved seeing all the parts come together in the song.”
