County students chosen for honor band

By Frances Vanderploeg

Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2008 | 6:06 p.m.

About 75 Henderson students were chosen to perform with the Clark County School District honor band Jan. 24.

The honor band, made up of about 240 students from around the district, consists of three bands: a wind band and two symphonic bands. Each will perform with directors brought in from around the country for a one-time performance. Students were chosen from a group of 714 who auditioned.

Members of the honor band may audition later this month for the all-state band.

At least one student was chosen from each Henderson school, including Basic, Coronado, Foothill, Green Valley and Liberty high schools, plus nearby Silverado High School.

Not all band students audition for honor band, but those who do generally understand how big of a deal it is.

"The honor band is called that for a reason," Mark McArthur, Basic High School band director, said. "It's a prestigious thing, because you get to be in a band that's being directed by a fantastic director from around the country."

Directors of the three bands this year include Dick Mayne, associate director of bands at the University of Northern Colorado; Gregg Brimm, band director at Marian Catholic High School; and Rick McEnaney, coordinator of secondary fine arts for the School District.

McEnaney has directed the honor band in previous years, when he taught at the university level, he said. Honor band is partially used to help students earn college scholarships, so bringing in band directors from universities makes sense, he said.

The bands meet as a group only twice: once for a music check and rehearsal Jan. 6 to ensure the students are learning their music, and again for an all-day rehearsal Jan. 23.

It's a lot of work, but they found this schedule worked best for the students, since many are involved in other things, as well, Danielle McCracken, band director at Coronado, said.

"More kids of a higher quality were able to participate when we cut down the number of rehearsals," she said.

Fewer rehearsals are also more true-to-life, McEnaney said.

"We want them to learn what it's like to be a professional working musician," he said. "It's not completely the same schedule, but it gives everyone a taste."

McCracken said 33 of the chosen students came from Coronado this year, the most of any school. It's a title McCracken's students have held for at least a couple years, she said.

Frances Vanderploeg can be reached at 990-2660 or [email protected].