n Feb. 16, selected students from the De Soto High School band attended an all-day clinic at Baker University, along with a performance in the evening.

This was the 14th annual honor band that Baker has hosted for high school students. Those who attended were from schools such as Atchison, Baldwin, Bonner Springs, Fort Scott, Jefferson West, Olathe Northwest, Ottawa and many more smaller, local schools.

Auditions were held soon after students arrived for seating placement in the band. After, rehearsal was non-stop throughout the day, excluding meals.

“This is the first and last time this band will ever play together,” said Tarleton State University Director of Bands, Anthony Purcell.

It was an experience to bring together students from different schools and assemble a performance within a few hours.

DHS band director Emma Willis recommended students from De Soto’s band to attend the honor band. Those students were sophomore, Ethan Aubrey-Mitchell, juniors, Rhiannon Caldwell, Emily Churchwell, Jake Dunlap, Dylan Foster and Laura Meyers, seniors Billy Bauer, Joseph Buery, Kasey Dunlap, Jaxon Hargrove, Grace Kim and Austin Showen.

“Students that attended the Baker band got to play new music, meet other musicians, be directed by someone other than me and it required an elevated level of musicianship since it was an honor band,” Willis said.

After rehearsal, students performed for an audience in the evening in the Rice Auditorium on Baker’s campus. Entry was free, and the concert was open to the public.

The concert’s program began with the Baker University Symphonic Winds. The group started off the concert with The Star-Spangled Banner, arranged by Stamp, A Festival Prelude by Reed, Irish Tune from County Derry by Grainger, 76 Trombones by Willson/Iwai and Home on the Range by Ralston/Barnes.

The high school band followed soon after the Symphonic Winds. The band had two directors: Purcell and Raymond James Jr., Director of Bands at Baker.

The Honor Band performed The Thunderer by Sousa/ed. Fennell, Chorale and Shaker Dance II by Zdechlik, Earthdance by Sweeney, Declaration Overture by Smith, Balladair by Erickson and Animatus Eventus by Fernandez.

“Overall, the day was educational, memorable and gave everyone another musical experience to grow from,” Hargrove said.