Students from the De Soto High School band auditioned for the Northeast Kansas Music Association District Band on Nov. 14.

Over 1000 students from as far west as Topeka auditioned for the band, and 14 students from De Soto were selected for the band, as well as one alternate. 6 of these students made 1^st chair positions.  3 freshmen were also selected for the 9^th grade band.

“I was surprised we didn’t have a few more [students make the band],” said band director Matt Bradford.

The students were given the audition music last May and practiced until the day of the auditions.

“I should’ve practiced during the summer, but I didn’t,” said Matthew Lynn, who was selected as the first chair tuba in the district band. “By the beginning of the school year I starting practicing in seminar almost every day.”

Lynn considered the audition music for the band a challenge.

“One of the excerpts was a quicker tempo and cut time, and the hardest part in that [excerpt] was taking a jump [that was] difficult on a tuba, in a range you do not play,” Lynn said

Students learned the audition material independently, with some help from Bradford.

“[Bradford] will answer any questions you might have, help you understand rhythms you have trouble with,” Lynn said.

The district band will perform on Dec. 5 at Blue Valley High School. It is up to the members of the band to learn the music for the performance on their own, as they only rehearse together for 40 minutes on the day of the performance.

Bradford believes the district band experience helps the band members grow.

“It makes them a better musician. All the clinicians are professional composers or college professors,” Bradford said.

Lynn also believes the District Band is beneficial.

In my opinion the best part [of the experience] is that it looks great on a college application. It is best to perform as many times as you can just to get experience,” Lynn said.