This upcoming weekend choir, band, and jazz band students will travel to Junction City to audition for a chance to be in one of the Kansas Music Educators Association North Central District honor groups. Orchestra students must submit a recorded audition by this day to audition for the district honor orchestra. Students have been preparing for these auditions for months.

“I’ve been looking at the music since May,” senior flautist April Ascher said. “But I really worked on it starting at the beginning of the school year.”

Junior Emma Brase began looking at the audition materials at the beginning of the school year.

“I got the music for auditions towards the beginning of the school year and worked on it a little then, and I’ve started practicing it more recently to prepare to record my audition,” Brase said.

Some students feel nervous, despite their practice regimen. However, experience has greatly lessened this feeling.

“I’m nervous because I’ve never auditioned for jazz KMEA but I have better experience than last year so I’m not terrified,” junior Lilly Marshall said. “Compared to last year I think I have a better chance just because naturally I have more experience for what it’s like auditioning.”

At the audition students must perform pieces given to them far in advance, scales, and sight read music they’ve not seen before.

“I actually don’t just play what’s written because for the most part the audition music isn’t as musically challenging, what matters is your sound, and how you play it and that goes for the sight reading too,” Marshall said.

Overall, the musicians’ hopes are high.

“Obviously my hopes are to get as high as I can which is only 2nd chair since I did a recorded audition but I am fine with most anything,” Ascher said.

Those students who make it into their district honor groups become eligible to audition for the state honor groups.

“I’m not really that nervous because I was able to get into district orchestra last year but hopefully I can audition and get into state orchestra after that,” Brase said. “I probably won’t get into state, but I’d like to audition anyways.”