This past Saturday, Jan. 11, 20 students auditioned for the All-State Band and Choir at Argyle High School. Of the 20 who auditioned, five students made the band and five students made alternates, achieving the highest honor a Texas music student can receive. Those who made the band included freshman Haley Emerson on French horn placing first, sophomore Riley Barnes on percussion placing first, junior Clarissa Medrano on clarinet placing fifth, Aric Kline on trumpet placing first in 5A auditions, and junior Molly Livingston in choir. Emerson said that in order to achieve her success, “[she] woke up early” and “practiced really hard” and Kline agrees adding that he “recorded each practice section in order to see how [he] could improve.” Nerves often get the best of people except for people like Livingston who said that “[she] couldn’t get nervous or [her] vocal chords would tighten and [she] wouldn’t be able to sing.” The students will be traveling to San Antonio on Feb. 11 to audition for their chair in the State clinic/concert.

All-State Band Alternates:

Sophomore Sarah Llewelyn on Oboe, junior Ben Roney on Euphonium, junior Ross Coker on French horn, junior Jessica Portales on percussion, and senior Matthew Goodpaster on trombone.