Several members of the band competed in the Association of Texas Small School Bands (ATSSB) All-Region audition last Monday, Dec. 3. From the audition process, 63 students will be participating in the All-Region band, and 34 will advance to the area competition Jan. 12.

The audition process includes two excerpts from etudes and a selection of scales from each student’s eight prepared scales. Students do not know what portion of the music they will be asked to perform before the audition but can practice each etude and scale beforehand.

“I felt really good about the audition results,” head band director Mike Sheffield said. “It was encouraging, and next time around I think it’s going to be that much better. We just didn’t know what to expect, so going through the process really helped that expectation. I feel like everybody is charged up, and hopefully more students will take advantage of the opportunity.”

Sheffield said the ATSSB audition process has not only encouraged students but also improved the performance level of the band.

“We had more students attempt the All-Region process this year than we have had in the past,” Sheffield said. “Even the students who didn’t make it got better. The longer we’re in ATSSB, the more we’re going to see the level of our band rise. More students will try, more students will get involved, and if the first time out doesn’t go so well, the next time they may say, ‘Well, next time I’m going to try a little harder and start a little earlier.’ And I think it’s just going to make the level of the band go up.”

Senior Ian Hughes placed first chair out of 68 trumpets in the recent audition.

“This year’s audition was different, but it was better for most people,” Hughes said. “The audition process was more accessible, and everyone involved was much more friendly and welcoming than those we’ve encountered in the past.”

Hughes said he felt the band represented Canyon very well at the All-Region audition, and he is excited to move on to the next level.

“When I found out I got first, it made me really proud,” Hughes said. “I felt proud to be able to represent the band so well as a whole and that I had the opportunity to show off what Mr. Sheffield and the other band directors have taught us throughout the years. Hopefully, Canyon will represent at the Area audition as well as we did in the All-Region audition. I think everyone will do well.”

The area audition for ATSSB participants will be in Levelland, and the audition for Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) competitors will be in Odessa.

“Meghan Brooks qualified on the 5A level, so she will go to Odessa,” Sheffield said. “The rest of us will go to Levelland High School. We will see a high level of excellence. Everybody who shows up will be good. It’s going to go to the student who prepares the smartest, who basically has the music in their pocket perfect and then can perform under pressure and perform as close to perfect as possible. No blips can be allowed because someone else will nail it. The students are just going to have to go in and knock it out of the park.”

Area Audition Qualifiers (Chair Order)

Flute

Bella Haynes

Kate McKinney

Hannah Hamil

Oboe

Tobin Brooks

Clarinet

Maggie Bell

Lily Williams

Calvin Burns

Macie Mullin

Blake Usleton

Leigh Cano

Bass Clarinet

Braxton Butcher

Bassoon

Meghan Brooks (TMEA)

Katherine Clark

Alto Saxophone

Natalie Lopez

Tenor Saxophone

Michael Ann Robinson

Baritone Saxophone

John Flatt

Trumpet

Ian Hughes

Cory Robbins

Ailisa Kelch

Cody Clark

Aubyn Nall

French Horn

Aryauna Thompson

Wade House

Abigail Bell

Trombone

Bree Castleberry

Caleb Tomlinson

Talyn Kuster

Bass Trombone

Keaton Goss

Euphonium

Thomas Lopez

Tuba

Coryn Pekrul

Percussion

Gideon Talley

Charles Neal

Jackson Weigand

Jarrett Johnson