On Jan. 7, 13 De Soto High School students traveled to Salina to audition for the State Honor Band sponsored by the Kansas Music Educator’s Association.

In order to audition for this band, students must have been a part of the Northeast District Band, for which auditions took place back in November.

Of those 13 students, 10 students were named either a member of the band or an alternate. A list of these students follows:

Junior Rhiannon Caldwell, piccolo

Senior Hannah Stevens, flute

Junior Emily Churchwell, flute

Junior Maria Pileski, flute alternate

Senior Joseph Buery, clarinet

Senior Philip Kaul, alto saxophone

Senior Parker Riley, alto saxophone

Senior Hayden Abbott, trumpet alternate

Junior Jonny Hodges, trombone

Senior Austin Showen, mallets

“It’s a really big honor [to be in this band]. One of the top honors that a Kansas state high school musician can do is to make this band,” band director Emma Willis said. “It says a lot about the hard work and dedication of the students in this band as well as overall skills and musicianship.”

DHS and Buhler High School have the highest proportion of students in the band, making up 20 percent of the 1-4A band.

The 1-4A State Band will perform at the KMEA convention on Feb. 25 at the Century II Convention Center in Wichita.