Wind Ensemble Prepares for San Antonio

Sunday, February 5 Wind Ensemble Send-off Concert

Tierney Withrow, Reporter

Argyle’s own Wind Ensemble will be performing this Saturday at the TMEA concert in San Antonio. This is the fourth Texas Music Educators Association’s concert for the high school to attend as the 4A state honor band of 2022, with the previous time being the 3A honor band of 2009.

“[Last year] was important because it’s learning, it’s an educational tool,” Director Jason Bird says. “There’s a different kind of importance with this one because it showcases in front of so many more people.”

The current estimate for the crowd at Lila Cockrell Theatre is between 1,500 to 2,000, with even more attending through video recordings.

“A lot of really appreciative audience members [and] music educators from around the state and around the country come to these concerts,” Assistant Director Evan Fletcher says. “It’s a celebration of the students’ achievement.”

This 50 minute concert is filled by eight pieces: All Things So Wondrous, The Alchemist, Irish Tune from County Derry, Bolivar, As Above So Below-III, Aurora Awakes, La Princesse, and Who’s Who in Navy Blue.

“It’s kind of stressful,” Freshman Bella Dunning says, “but it’s really fun. All the seniors left so it’s just the freshmen taking their places, filling in the spots. I’m just excited to go to San Antonio itself.”

This has taken a tremendous amount of effort that students and staff alike look forward to performing.

“This is just a performance to demonstrate how awesome we are,” Fletcher says. “It’s really cool to see the culmination of all the years on their instruments so far.”

The next available time for submissions to this concert will be three years from now as a 5A school.

“I just hope that the love that I have for the program will carry on throughout [the freshmen],” Senior Rin Langford says.

Students have put in years of work, and the everyone is looking forward to seeing it pay off.

“It’s gonna be a lot of fun; the day of warming up and going to perform and seeing the reaction,” Bird says. “I think that’s what I’m looking forward to.”