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Middle and high school students from around Hillsborough auditioned for the prestigious All-County Honor Band or Orchestra Dec. 11 at King High School by performing their prepared music. From Robinson, many talented band and orchestra students auditioned on Wednesday around 5:00 pm.
Students were expected to perform two selected major scales, a chromatic scale, and a selected etude to demonstrate their range of ability. “You register for the audition in the auditorium according to your grade and instrument,” senior baritone saxophone player Charles Ford III explains the process of the audition. “Then you go to the room of your audition, wait in line for your time, [for] which they are usually late and behind time, and then you go into a blind audition [before] two judges, who are band directors, and play your three scales and prepared etude.”
Many Robinson students think they performed well.
“I think I did alright,” said Olivia Moumne, senior clarinet player. “I was nervous but I think I’ll make it.”
Many students have auditioned in previous years. Jonathan Sims, junior sousaphone player has auditioned four times. This was his fifth.
“I think I did very well,” said Sims. “I just missed a few notes on my scales.”
Sims thought he had a good chance at making the honor band.
“I’ve been first chair for 4 years so that makes me feel more confident,” he said.
Students had about seven weeks to prepare their music, but sometimes even the most prepared person can mess up their fingers or not take a big enough breath on the day of the audition.
“I think I did pretty well despite one or two missed notes. I hope I make it. I did better than my audition last year and I made it, so I don’t see why I won’t this year,” senior trombone player Noah Fatica said.
“I thought I did pretty well on my audition. I’m not sure if it was All-County level but I tried my hardest and I feel pretty good about it,” junior trombone player Marissa Crumpton said.
This year, many more students from the Robinson High School Band auditioned than last year, and they inspired others to audition next year. “I didn’t audition this year, but I’m definitely going to audition next year,” freshman trombone player, Eric Hawley said. “I saw that people were really dedicated to what they were practicing and I want to feel the same motivation in music as they do.”
If students make the All-County Band or Orchestra, they will be notified by their director by the next week. For All-County Band, the rehearsals will be Jan. 23-25 at Riverview High school. The All-County Concert will be held on Jan. 25 at Riverview at 7:00 pm.