All State Band Students
In May of 2018, two members of the advanced band prepared to compete for a seat in the Florida Middle School All State Band. They practiced their scales, a lyrical and technical etude, and continuously worked on sight-reading music all summer. When they returned in August, they met with Mr. Ostrow before school once a week to prepare for auditions in mid-September. The results were announced to band programs statewide in mid-November. This year, we had TWO students make the best band in the state! Roughly 60 bands programs were represented.
Julia Lehman was one of 96 trumpet players to audition. Nathan Soto was one of 159 clarinetists to audition. The trumpet judge selected the best 15 and the clarinet judge selected the best 32. When Julia arrived for reseating, she earned 9/15 chair and Nathan earned 12/32.
Leading up to the performance, the students rehearsed in downtown Tampa with Florida’s best 129 players for over twenty hours. On Saturday, January 12th, the students performed difficult literature at a very high level with their guest conductor, Dr. David Hedgecoth, from the Ohio State University. Following the All State Middle School Performance was the 9-10th grade All State Concert Band and the 11-12th grade All State Symphonic Band. There were over two thousand audience members in attendance including friends and family as well as music educators and professional musicians from around the state and country.