Nineteen band students will participate in the TMEA area auditions Jan. 7 after qualifying last Tuesday. These students, along with 25 others, will also perform at the All-Region Band concert Jan. 21 at West Texas A&M University.

“My problem is always with the audition because I have really bad anxiety,” senior Julia Miller said. “I figured out this year that it’s not that bad. I made first, so I overcame that.”

In addition to qualifying for the All-Region Band, six students also qualified for the All-Region Orchestra and performed at the Globe News Center Saturday.

“You need to learn to accept,” senior Shady Kuster said. “Coming in as a freshman, this music is extremely hard. You just need to know that yes, your musical experience is lower than everybody else’s, but that doesn’t mean you can’t go in there and do your best, because your best is all that matters.”

Junior Isaac Rosales, who has qualified for the Area auditions every year in high school, earned fourth chair as a tenor trombone.

“When I was warming up, I decided to save my lips so I could play well, but I didn’t warm up enough,” Rosales said. “Since I didn’t warm up enough, my first piece was below where it usually is. I thought I didn’t perform well, so I was surprised to place as high as I did.”

Kuster, who has competed at Area her sophomore and junior years as well, said she uses breathing techniques to calm her nerves.

“I get sick because I get really nervous,” Kuster said. “Nerves are definitely something you have to get over because you’re playing in front of 40 people, some who you’ve met before, some who you’ve never seen in your whole life. You just have to keep moving forward.”

Names in bold will advance to the Area auditions January 7.

Symphonic

Piccolo

1  Berkley Trumbly

Flute

2  Shady Kuster

4  Marissa Cruz

9  Jewelie Rasmussen

B♭ clarinet

6  Corrie Allen

11  Maggie Bell

12  Calvin Burns

Bassoon

1  Julia Miller

2  Meghan Brooks

Alto saxophone

1  Braden Lefevre

Baritone saxophone

1  Nathan Armstrong

Trumpet

6  Cory Robbins

7  Cody Clark

Horn

3  Aryauna Thompson

Tenor trombone

3  Adam Soliz

4  Isaac Rosales

Euphonium

2  Nicholas O’Con

3  Hayden Neeley

Tuba

2  Isaac Ortiz

Percussion

2  Jared Miller

5  Gaven Ludington

Concert

Flute

6  Vivianna Morales

10  Macy McClish

Oboe

2  Tobin Brooks

B♭ clarinet

1  Emma Irlbeck

11  Sophia Hernandez

12  Emily Ray

13  Arian Howard

15  Taelyn Ulch

Bass clarinet

2  Mark Wiegand

Tenor saxophone

1  Michael Ann Robinson

Trumpet

5  Antonio Ortiz

7  Ian Hughes

8  Bret Ramirez

Horn

2  Alex Hernandez

6  Madyson Edwards

7  Wade House

8  Ericka Ortiz

Tenor trombone

7  Talyn Kuster

Bass trombone

2  Zackary Treadwell

Percussion

4  Blaine Fortin

7  Jarrett Johnson

8  Justin Lake