Eyes dart.  Knees quake.  Lips quiver.  Hearts pound.

Band students endured the pressure-filled atmosphere of All-Region auditions in January.

“I was really nervous before the audition,” sophomore Zaquery Hale said. “I wasn’t really intimidated- I kind of knew the competition.”

Tenth through twelfth grade students from Saline and Pulaski County arrived at All-Region auditions.  Eighty students from the Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble auditioned at Maumelle Middle School.  Each audition consisted excerpts from prepared music (each instrument receives different music to prepare for auditions), three scales and a brief sight-reading (unprepared music) chosen by the judge in each instrument’s audition room.   Audition results dictate whether a student qualifies for a band.  (Second Band or First band, First Band the highest.)

Over 600 students auditioned and 54 students qualified for both second and first band.

Selected for Second Band were, seniors Trey Heatherly, Ivy Garner, Jayla Luxton, Katie Woods, Brooke Dennis, Anthony McBride, Ashton Griffin, Lance Reynolds, Cameron Stark and Catie Junkins, juniors Brandon Strong, Kaci Mann, Spencer Qualls, Aaron Dunbar and Taylor Draper, sophomores Connor Wilson, Frank Bray, Gael Kim, Noah Sandlin, Mary Grace Hill, Scarlet Pense, Andrew McBride, Jake Noble, Rachel Hacker, Michelle Wallace, Spencer Callicott, and Brady Gilleran.

Selected for First Band were, seniors Bailey Schimmel (first chair) and Sarah King, juniors, Josh Taylor (first chair), Katelin Byrd, Shelby Burchfield, Marissa Sides, Sara Tiffin, Josh Lawson, Roy Lewallen, Jon Scott, Phillip Brixie, and Jonathan Long, sophomores, Caroline Cato (first chair), Zaquery Hale (first chair), Harley Westfall (first chair), Chris Waldron, Carley Cato, Julie Joo, Krista Cortez, Kaitlin Johnson, Cody Jones, Nic Townsend, April Walters and Cori Blackwell

“I was in disbelief with my chair,” sophomore Caroline Cato said.  “I was really proud of myself.”  Cato was one of five students receiving First Band First Chair.

The school had the most students making All-Region in the district.  Band director Stewart Wright said he “ was surprised we had the most of anyone, but was expecting lots of first chairs though.”